What Lies Within
by Brother Mirtillo
Summary: When the Pharaoh attempts to unlock his past, he revives a nightmare that no one wanted to face the first time. The damage is worse than before, and his friends will have to call upon strength they never knew they had in order to fend off the darkness.
1. Strike! Enemy from the Shadows!

_First things first: none of the characters nor cards nor general plot concepts are mine. They all belong to Kazuki Takahashi and the rest of the Yugioh crew. I make no money from this, and that's as it should be. In fact, I suggest you go check out the arc that inspired this story. It's a good DM specimen, and it includes characters that prove once and for all that "antagonist" and "bad guy" do not mean the same thing. (But you might want to skip the last duel. And maybe the second-to-last one also - emotion-wise, they'll put you right off your lunch.)_

_The other point to make is: this is not a new story of mine. I wrote this a couple years ago, and as such, it's got some failings. Side effects of writing this story include canon inconsistencies, player errors, interchanged anime/real-life effects, fever, nausea, and drymouth. My favorite is the age-old DM tradition I call "environmental dueling" - by defining a card's effect based on what its hologram looks like, as opposed to the text on the card, you can point its effect in directions where it really shouldn't be able to go. (The classic example is Catapult Turtle vs. Castle of Dark Illusions. Winged Dragon of Ra + De-Fusion is another one.) All disclaimers for especially-galling moments will be added after the last chapter, and all of the made-up cards will be there also._

_But who cares about all of that? All you need to know is that it includes pretty much every main DM character and a few minor ones, and there are hints of shipping, and the Sangenshin cards make a definite cameo, and at least three characters get shirtless scenes. (You should also know that one of those statements is a lie.) Grab your popcorn and a night-light, and have fun!_

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><p>The crowd around the airport strode and rushed without actually running, everyone with somewhere to go. Horns blasting, cars and buses jostling for positions at the curb, and people talking everywhere melted into a confused symphony. But somehow there rose the distinct sound of one young man's voice, hopping on one foot and cursing furiously at the luggage bag that had just fallen onto his toes.<p>

His friend, a lanky man with short, brown hair and sharp brown eyes teased, "Jonouchi, if you can't even carry one suitcase, maybe we'd better leave you in America until you can catch up with us."

His victim stopped clutching his foot, uprighted his case and glared with his deeper brown eyes from under his thick blond hair, though the smile on his face belied his pugnacious response. "Shut up, Honda. I can carry it - it just tipped over, that's all. Hah, they don't make suitcases like they used to." He mockingly kicked his suitcase, causing it to promptly fall on his other foot.

As Honda over-graciously pretended to help Jonouchi with his luggage, their two companions looked on bemusedly. One, a young woman their height, brushed away her straight brown hair from her eager blue eyes as she held her temple and shook her head in resignation. The other, shorter and with hair that spiked up in several directions, laughed easily, sunlight glinting off of the artifact hung on the chain around his neck. At a glance, the artifact had a golden hue, shaped as an inverted pyramid, with a raised Egyptian eye on the front. More closely, one could see it was a puzzle of many pieces so carefully cut that there was no chance of it falling apart, even when hung up or shaken about, unless it were deliberately dismantled - but it gleamed brightly, indicating that its owner took care to not let it suffer such disrespect.

"Ah, Yugi," said the woman to her friend, "Jonouchi and Honda make such excellent traveling companions, don't they?"

Seeing the other two nearly fall into the street wrestling over Jonouchi's bag, Yugi answered, "Anzu, all I can hope is that they calm down on the plane, or else Kaiba won't ever do a favor like this for us again."

"True - without him providing his private plane, we couldn't afford to get back to Japan. But we'd better hurry, or he might not wait for us."

"Yeah. Hey, you two, come on. We've got a plane to catch."

The four of them collected their baggage, wheeling it excitedly to the airport doors - or rather, three of them were excited. Yugi, however, felt nervous, and his mind began to drift. As often happened in such times, a voice echoed in his mind, a calm, deeper tone only he could hear. "Aibou, is something wrong?" Yugi glimpsed the spirit from the Millennium Puzzle slide into view, though he was invisible and inaudible to anyone else. The spirit was nearly the twin of Yugi, though his voice, demeanor, and forceful eyes gave the impression of one much older and more seasoned by painful experiences.

"Mou hitori no boku, this is the chance we've been working for... but still, I don't know what's going to happen. Will you be able to regain your memory? The Egyptian god cards are the only clue we have. What happens if they can't open the way to your past?"

"Don't worry, aibou. I can sense that we are on the right track. But," he added, smiling with a face only Yugi could see, "even if I don't find my answers right away, we will keep working until we do. I have faith in you, aibou, and in our friends."

"Mm. And I believe in you, mou hitori no boku. We'll be okay in the end."

Yugi's thoughts were promptly broken by a voice from further down the terminal. "Darling! Darling!" A blond girl his height with bright green eyes and half-moon scholarly glasses came running straight at him, seizing him in a hug and snuggling her cheek up against his. Yugi tried to calm her ("I'm glad to see you too, Rebecca...") while not rudely flinching away, and Jonouchi and Honda sighed at this newest show of affection. Anzu, on the other hand, scowled in silent annoyance, though she snapped out of it when she saw caught sight of the gentleman also joining them. His hair was duly gray, but he stood straight and attentive, sharply-dressed and dignified, his eyes the same shade as Rebecca's. He was followed by a KaibaCorp associate waiting to escort them to their gate.

"Anzu, I trust you found no difficulties on your way here?"

"No, Professor Hopkins - Kaiba even provided a driver for us."

"Oh, Yugi," chimed in Rebecca, her eyes only for one person, "we just had to come see you off to Japan. Grandpa will have to go back his archaeology work soon, but we still have one more day to be together - all of us!" Her cheery smile was greeted with mixed reactions from the others.

The KaibaCorp man tried to say, "Miss, the plane is supposed to take off soon, and we-" but his cell phone rang at that moment.

Jonouchi broke in, "So we appreciate the offer, Rebecca, but we can't stick around-"

"Oh, it's no problem. I'll walk with you to the gate," and she promptly took Yugi's hand and strolled down the hall to the security gates. Yugi tried to keep up, as did the others.

Anzu was about to say some carefully selected words to Rebecca, when the escort walked up to Yugi, offering his cell phone and saying, "Mr. Mutou, it's for you."

"Huh?" Confused, Yugi took the phone. "Hello? ... Oh!" He announced to the group, "It's Miss Ishizu!"

"What? Ishizu?" exclaimed Jonouchi. "Why's she calling Yugi?"

Mocking, Anzu replied, "Maybe because the spirit of the Puzzle is about to get back to Japan, and maybe because she's the one who's been helping him to find his past?"

"Oh, right..." Clutching his forehead in exasperation, he said, "I can't take much more of this. There's too much happening at once! How did Ishizu even know we were here? I mean, we might as well be hearing from-"

"Hey, Jonouchi!"

He gasped, frozen momentarily, then turned towards the woman who had called his name. From the branching hallway she strode towards them, tall, with long blond hair, her fierce-lashed violet eyes on his.

All were astonished to see her, and Anzu greeted her first. "Mai, how are you?"

"I'm doing well. Been traveling a bit, but I'm glad to see some familiar faces." She smiled expectantly, and Jonouchi managed to smile back.

"I'm... glad to see you're all right, Mai. So, what brings you here?"

"The KC Grand Prix, of course."

"Were you there?"

"No, I saw it broadcast. But I got the invitation, and I almost wanted to join. Anyway, I was in the area."

"Ah," added Honda, "then I guess you saw Jonouchi's star performance? Against Zigfried?"

"Hey, cut it out! I almost beat him - no need to make a big deal out of it."

"Actually-" Mai cut in, as Jonouchi and Honda were about to start fighting again. "you did pretty well, Jonouchi."

Taken aback, he replied, "Really?"

"Mm-hm. And against Sugoroku Mutou too. You've made a name for yourself."

"Well... thank you."

Mai continued, "Anyway, you did all right, but I'm still making my path as a duelist, so don't think you've passed me yet."

"Hah, we'll see about that. Maybe you and I will duel again soon."

"Ah, Jonouchi?" reminded Honda. "Don't you remember we don't have time to stand around and talk? We have a plane to catch."

"Hey, there's time for talking with old friends."

"Well," said Mai, "you're going back to Japan, right? That's where I'm going."

"All right! But... do you think Kaiba will be able to give us an extra seat?"

"No, don't worry about me - I already have my ticket. But if you're on a KaibaCorp plane, I should be able to find you once we arrive."

"Okay, we'll see you there."

"I should go, or else we'll all miss our flights. See you soon!"

As Mai walked away, the others turned their attention back to Yugi, who was just saying goodbye. Leading them down the hall again, Yugi explained. "Ishizu says she's coming to the Domino Museum to take mou hitori no boku's memory tablet back to Egypt."

"Take the tablet?" exclaimed Anzu. "But... doesn't he need it to unlock his past?"

"She's not taking it back right away. She wants to be there when we try to open his past. Also, she says that, if it works, the tablet will have to go to Egypt anyway, and we will, too."

"What?"

"Well, mou hitori no boku will have to go to Egypt, and that means we'll have to be there with him."

"All right!" exclaimed Jonouchi and Honda. Then, a thought struck them. "Um... does that mean we'd have to pay for our tickets ourselves?"

"I guess so," said Anzu. "Well, we'll find a way so we can be with mou hitori no Yugi."

"Easy for you - you have a steady job!"

"Well, it's our responsibility. We can't expect Miss Ishizu to pay for us!"

Prof. Hopkins spoke up, "Yugi, how did Ishizu know to call you here?"

Yugi grinned, replying, "Her family saw the Grand Prix broadcast, and she guessed Kaiba knew where we were staying, so she called him to ask for help passing a message."

Jonouchi laughed, "And he agreed to that?"

"No," broke in a new voice. "I took the call."

Looking ahead of them, Yugi recognized the speaker - a boy several years younger than them, with thick black hair, an assertive stance and a strong smile. "Mokuba, good to see you. Thanks again for arranging the flight."

"Don't mention it. I'm glad to see you got your message all right. Ishizu already knew brother's number, but he's working, so I handled it."

"Thank you."

Jonouchi stretched his arms, saying, "Finally we get to go back to Japan!"

Honda added, "I can't to wait to get home and eat Japanese food."

Rebecca took Yugi to the side, saying, "Yugi, I'm not able to duel you now, but you have to duel me in the future."

"Mm - I'm looking forward to dueling with you." He held out his hand for a goodbye, but she swept it aside with a great farewell hug, winking at Anzu and promising to visit them.

All too soon, Mokuba and the escort were calling for them to climb aboard. The plane and its exclusive passengers taxied and lifted off smoothly. In an executive skyscraper several miles away, its owner surveyed the liftoff, then turned to his desk to resolve a few loose ends. The personal jet would be ready when he needed it; he would be in Domino before they would.

\\\

The drive home had not begun well. Mai offered to give them a ride to Domino City, and most of them were grateful. Jonouchi, however, accepted in a voice that was nervous at best and cold at worst. _Hopefully just nervous_, thought Honda as the five of them neared the city limits. Attempts at conversation had faltered long ago; though Yugi and Anzu were cheerful enough at returning, they were both asleep beside him in the back seat. Through the whole flight, Jonouchi had seemed on edge, though he had denied it when Honda asked, and when he heard Mai greeting them at the baggage claim, he stiffened noticeably. Now his eyes were wandering over the scenery; Mai too had not taken her eyes off the road in the past half hour.

"Wake up, everyone - we're here!"

Mai's voice woke Anzu first, "We're home? Finally!"

The whole group stirred to life as the blocks and office buildings of Domino City swept around them. Mai called back, "I guess you're going to your grandpa's game shop?"

"Not yet," Yugi answered. "We have to go the museum first - that's where Ishizu is meeting us."

"Ishizu? From the Battle City tournament? Why's she here?"

"I'm surprised you haven't guessed already," Jonouchi responded gruffly. "Mou hitori no Yugi has a job to do, and he can't do it without knowledge of his Egyptian past. You didn't know that?"

"Well... I hardly know as much about mou hitori no Yugi as you do!"

"Jonouchi," urged Honda, "calm down. We all feel nervous for mou hitori no Yugi, but even if we don't know what's going to happen, let's try and stick together." His friend gave no reply but to stare away again.

Yugi smiled, sat back, and spoke privately to his partner, "Honda's right - we'll stay together no matter what task awaits you."

"Are you sure of that, aibou?"

"Wh... yes, I'm sure. Are you worried?"

"Aibou, we have seen many dangerous things, forces both divine and foul, beyond our imagination. Is it inconceivable that we might face a challenge we cannot defeat?"

Momentarily stunned, Yugi replied, "Don't talk like that, mou hitori no boku! Yes, things have been dangerous, but we've always found a way to survive. Just look at all we've done so far - we've fought darkness duels, won the Egyptian god cards, and you know where you came from! I believe that we'll be okay in the end."

"But at what cost? We cannot even be sure of all of us enduring the next step. We have been torn apart in the past."

"But it wasn't permanent! You've beaten the darkness in your soul, and I know you'll stay strong in the future. Nothing will tear us apart."

"Mm... I suppose you're right, aibou. We will find out soon."

Presently, Mai swung the car into museum parking, and the gang made their way up the great steps. Yugi checked the deck holder at his waist for three cards - a red serpentine two-mouthed dragon, a blue muscle-bound fanged juggernaut, and a yellow armor-scaled birdlike dragon. These were Slifer, Obelisk and Ra - the three god cards. They held a magical power often described as divine, and even after seeing his partner command them, Yugi did not understand their true strength, but he did know they were the key to his partner's memories in the tablet. Last time they had tried to unlock the memories, a dark energy had shrouded the connection between cards and tablet, diverting the power to a sorcerer bent on not only preventing the Pharaoh, but destroying him. But that was past - the darkness was broken, it could not return.

Making their way to the museum's basement stair, the five were greeted by several familiar faces. Three of them were of dark complexion - the woman with long, dark hair, the taller man of a fiery gaze, and the younger man with light hair and sharp eyes. But all were smiling warmly, the youngest greeting them, "Yugi, everyone, it's good to see you again!"

"You too, Marik," Yugi replied. "And Miss Ishizu and Rishid, how are you?"

"Quite well," Marik's sister answered. "Did you have a good time in America?"

A scoffing hmph turned attention to the other two members of the group. One was Mokuba, now clutching a heavy metal briefcase. The taller man with the hard blue eyes, brown hair and brooding stance was none other than Seto Kaiba.

Yugi nodded politely, "I'm glad you're here, Kaiba. Have you come to support mou hitori no boku?"

"Of course not. I came here to see what's so important that you have me relaying your phone calls."

"Hey, back off," broke in Jonouchi. "You're not so high and mighty that you have to know everything that's going on."

"I have every right to know, especially if it concerns mou hitori no Yugi."

"Still hoping to get a rematch, huh? Forget it, you'll never beat him."

"Your opinion on dueling strength is less than worthless."

"What? Say that again, you bastard - after all I've been through, I won't-"

The puzzle around Yugi's neck gave a distinct glow, and when his eyes opened, they were the fierce eyes of his partner. "Enough, both of you. Fighting will only get in the way. Ishizu, take us to the tablet."

"Of course, Pharaoh. If you'll all follow me," and Ishizu led them down the locked stairway. Jonouchi, pushed aside by Kaiba, resorted to glaring at the back of his rival's skull. In stony silence, the procession made their way deep underground to a display room that lit as they entered. On the far wall was a tablet bearing images and hieroglyphs familiar to the group. It depicted a battle of two sorcerers conjuring creatures from carved images. One sorcerer strongly resembled the other Yugi, and his opponent looked much like Kaiba. At the top of the tablet were carved versions of the three god cards, surrounding an outline of a radiant Millennium Puzzle.

"Now, Pharaoh - you must present the three god cards to the tablet, revealing the secrets of your past."

As the other Yugi reached for his deck, Jonouchi gave a shudder. "Mou hitori no Yugi, are sure you're ready for this? I have a feeling that something bad is about to happen, and that we can't stop it."

"Don't be ridiculous," sneered Kaiba. "We didn't come here to hear the whimpering of a coward."

"Shut up! I'm no coward - I've faced dangers beyond you. I'm just not sure that what mou hitori no Yugi is doing is safe."

Vexed, Anzu answered, "But this is what he's been after since the beginning. We can't lose faith in-"

Kaiba broke in, "Faith? Don't be such an idiot. I've always believed you were weak, but to hear you keep returning to the same-"

"Enough!" The other Yugi overrode all of them, declaring, "I am not afraid. I'll show you how a true duelist finds his strength with his own hands." He whipped the three cards from his belt and fanned them towards the tablet.

A pulse of light broke from the cards, and the puzzle on the tablet gave a corresponding glow. _This is it_, thought Anzu. _Last time was different, but now we'll finally see..._

The light flickered and died, and before anyone could react, the cards spewed forth a dark energy that met another shadow from the tablet, becoming a turbulent cloud. Suddenly, there was a great concussion, and everyone but Jonouchi, Kaiba and the other Yugi was thrown several feet back.

Anzu cried, "Yugi! No!" scrambling to her feet as the three duelists were engulfed in the shroud, swirling and tightening like a tornado. She tried to grab someone's arm, but her hand would not penetrate the cloud, and soon they were lost to sight. But not to sound - presently, she heard them yelling in panic and fear. "Yugi! Anyone! What's happening?"

"No... no, get away from me! Let me go!"

Everyone else joined her, but no one could reach them, see them, or hear anything but cries of terror. Soon even their voices were snuffed out, and the cloud detonated, fogging the entire room - no one saw the three streams fly out. By degrees, the cloud subsided, and everyone tried to clear their sight. But Anzu was already shaking the shoulders of the three forms, collapsed on the floor. "Yugi, everyone, please wake up!"

"Brother!" "Jonouchi!" No one could get them to stir, or even open their eyes. Abruptly, the Millennium Puzzle glowed with light, and Yugi sat up, gasping and trembling.

"Mou hitori no Yugi?" "Pharaoh, are you all right?"

But Yugi was still shaking, and in his welling tears, Anzu saw his eyes had lost their steel.

"Not the Pharaoh... it's our Yugi..."

"He's gone... mou hitori no boku is gone... He took him..."

"Who? Who did this?"

"I, I don't know. I felt him, he was afraid, and I tried to change places, but the Puzzle wouldn't work. Mou hitori no boku said it felt like his own body was pushing him out, and that he felt someone else was there, calling him away... He's gone, and I couldn't stop it!" He broke down completely, and Anzu was near tears herself.

"What about Jonouchi?" "And brother?"

Marik spoke up, "I- I suppose whatever happened to the Pharaoh happened to Kaiba and Jonouchi also. But I've never heard of the god cards stealing souls before... Or, are they... dead?"

Rishid stooped to Jonouchi. "No, he breathes. His heart is slow, but it lives."

"But sister, have you ever heard of this before?"

"Never. The gods may strike men down, even kill them, but not their Pharaoh. Also, they are forthright and do not deal in shadow and torture."

"Torture?" Anzu frantically looked to all of them. "But whatever this was, it has our friends - it could still be hurting them!"

Setting his face, Yugi pushed himself to his feet. "I don't know where the shadow took them, but I know how to find them. We need to get back to the game shop; the Millennium Items are there, and I can use the Necklace to try and see what happened. I'll even use the Ring if I have to."

Businesslike again, Mokuba barked, "Honda, Rishid, help get brother and Jonouchi back upstairs. I have a car outside - we have to get them to a hospital until we find out what happened and how to fix it." After seeing them secured, Mokuba dismissed the driver at full speed; Marik asked his siblings to escort them and ensure they got the best care, saying he would contact them as he learned more. Everyone else insisted on following Yugi, and Mai narrowly escaped several accidents driving to Grandpa Mutou's game shop.

Yugi dashed upstairs, already opening the duffel bag from under his bed by the time the others caught up. Digging fiercely, he extracted a necklace of the same metal as his puzzle, with the same eye. He gripped it in his fist and pressed the center to his forehead, silently begging to be told what had happened to his friends.

In a flash, he was floating in the tablet room again, seeing the dark cloud emerge, swallow his friends and banish the three streams. With a will, he was now floating above the museum, seeing the new shadows vanish. That wasn't enough - where were they going? Calling the magic forth, he mustered his strength to look forward... and now he was not present, but instead presented with many images. Three dark tunnels delivering visitors... locations he knew... screams of pain and fury intermixed... mortal danger to countless innocent souls... and the silhouette of a shrouded figure whose forehead- _no, it can't be..._

With a yell, Yugi staggered backwards, dropping the necklace and clutching his head. Anzu rushed to his side. "What did you see?"

"I... I didn't see what took them, but I know where they are. Jonouchi is at the beach. Kaiba is at the unfinished stadium."

"Let's go!" Mokuba cried, but his run to the door was arrested by Marik.

"Wait, we don't even know what we're getting into!"

"I don't care! My brother's in trouble, and I'm going after him!"

"Then... then I'll go with you, to protect you if you need me." Mokuba assented, and the two dashed off.

"What about Jonouchi?" exclaimed Honda. "The beach is miles long, he could be anywhere!"

"No," answered Yugi. "When I saw him, he was... brooding. Sitting on the beach. The Necklace told me he had been there before, until you got to him, Honda."

"Me?... Shit - the time he lost his Red-Eyes! That's where I found him."

"Show me the way," Mai ordered. "I'll drive." In no time, her car was screeching back into traffic.

Turning back, Anzu replied, "And mou hitori no Yugi? Did... did you see him?"

"I did. But he's not in Domino anymore."

"What?"

"He's..." his fearful eyes looked into hers. "He's in the shadow realm."

Anzu went deadly pale. "But how can we reach him?"

Yugi swallowed, "I have to use a Millennium Item to go after him. My Puzzle should be best. I don't dare bring more than one into the open." Turning away from her, occupying himself with repacking the bag, he insisted, "Anzu, you need to tell Ishizu and Rishid what happened. You'll be safe with them."

"No way! Mou hitori no Yugi is in danger, and I- I want to be sure he's all right. I'm going with you."

There was no arguing with that face. "Then let's go." Silently, he added, _I just hope the others get there before the shadows open again_. Yugi closed his eyes and cleared his mind. His Puzzle glowed brightly, and a spiral of shadow sprang up around him and Anzu, swallowing them from the bottom up. The field tightened, then faded to nothingness. Outside, their friends were also nearing their goals as dark clouds contaminated the sky. What Yugi had not known was that the tunnels were already planning to open, and his friends would be the first to greet the ones who came out.

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><p><em>How do you like that? Please leave a review - it's the best way I know to cultivate the stuff that works and clip the stuff that doesn't.<em>


	2. Sacrifice for Victory

Mai didn't care who honked or gestured at her - if Jonouchi was in trouble, she had to find him. Next to her, Honda tried to point the way while hanging on to his seat, and soon the endless shoreline was racing past them.

"He shouldn't be far from..." Honda lost his thought as they both saw the skies open up on the horizon. A great cloud of dark fog, fearsome even against the cloud-covered skyline, had sprung from nowhere and was searing down towards the ground like a crashing plane. Mai floored the gas, screeching to a halt in the last fifty yards. They both ran onto the beach just in time to see the cloud touch down. For a moment, nothing happened, and then the cloud slowly dispersed, and a man appeared.

"...Jonouchi?"

It was him, but not as he had left them. Still in jeans and a light jacket, he was now clothed entirely in black. His hands were worn, his cheeks gaunt, and his eyes cold and distant.

Honda finally found his voice, "Jonouchi, what happened to you? Are you all right?"

There was only silence. Sizing up his visitors, the dark figure turned to leave.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Receiving no answer, Honda ran and grabbed his friend by the shoulder. "Look, what's gotten into you? We came here to see if you're okay."

Suddenly, there was a hand around Honda's throat. Gasping, he tried to pull it away and was thrown onto his back. Coughing on sand, he spat, "Shit! Have you gone crazy?"

"Don't get in my way." Turning again to leave, he found Mai barring his path.

"You're not leaving."

"You won't prevent me."

"Something's wrong with your heart, Jonouchi. Is this the work of that shadow?"

He sneered, "There's no one at work but myself."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing's wrong with me. I have my own business to take care of. Stand aside."

"No. You didn't fill yourself with this anger, but whatever happened, you need to wake up."

For an answer, he held up his left arm in front of her, and a shadow formed around his wrist. It revealed a duel disk, made of a black scaly hide with sharp edges. A deck was already inside, and he drew five cards as his weapon glowed to life.

Incensed, Honda yelled, "This is no time for a duel, Jonouchi!"

"No," Mai assured him. "This is what he wants. And maybe this will reach him." With a nod, she dispatched Honda to fetch her bag from the car. She whipped out a disk, white and blue instead of black, and activated it also.

"Duel!"

"I'll begin," intoned Jonouchi, drawing a card. "Set one monster. End turn."

"My turn. I summon Flying Kamakiri #1 in attack mode! Attack his monster!" The lithe insect slashed the hidden card, which burst to pieces. Immediately, another monster appeared in its place: a small, green dragon in light armor.

Honda was thunderstruck. "What? That's not one of your cards!"

"By destroying my Troop Dragon, you've allowed me to summon another one in attack mode."

_Jonouchi never had Troop Dragon before_, Mai realized. _Whatever changed his heart must have also changed his deck._ "I set one card. End turn."

"I activate the spell Monster Reincarnation - by discarding one card, one monster can be returned from the graveyard to my hand."

Honda demanded, "Why do that? Troop Dragon's all you have in the graveyard."

"Not anymore. I activate Question!"

"What the- That's the card you used on Marik!"

"Yes, and now, Mai - try and guess what monster's on the bottom of my graveyard. It's too bad you're not allowed to look now."

Fruitlessly, she tried to read his mocking face. _Whatever's in there, he put it there specifically to summon it. It must be a high-level monster, but he would never use a trick like that to summon Red-Eyes..._ "I predict Gilford the Lightning!"

"Wrong, of course. It's another dragon, and a fearsome one indeed."

"Then it _is_ Red-Eyes!"

Jonouchi actually laughed - laughed and spat. "Red-Eyes? I have more powerful creatures with which I can destroy you. I summon Tri-Horned Dragon!" The dragon was as repulsive and contemptuous as his master. "There's more. I activate Graceful Charity, drawing one card and discarding two."

Mai tried to see what he discarded, but all she could see was that they were both effect monsters. _This isn't right at all..._

"Now I'll set one card and add the Card Destruction spell card! We both throw away our entire hands and draw as many cards as we discarded."

"He's destroying his own cards over and over. What's he doing, Mai?"

"I don't know..."

"Confused already? Maybe I overestimated you." Drawing his two cards, Jonouchi smirked, "I'm putting my cards to their best use. Now I've drawn the card to complete your death."

"What are you talking about?"

"I activate the Seal of Orichalcos!"

"No!"

But they could do nothing as he placed the card into the side of his disk and the blazing green column spread out from beneath his feet to engulf the field. Mai stared in horror as Jonouchi looked at her afresh, the green hexagram on his brow, his eyes burning with anger. "My dragons, gather your power!" Both likewise filled with rage, Tri-Horned Dragon's strength rose to 3350, Troop Dragon's to 1200.

From outside the barrier, Honda was beside himself. "Jonouchi! This is the Seal of Orichalcos we're talking about! After all you've done, you're using it now?"

Jonouchi only smiled as he withdrew a glowing green stone on a string from his pocket and hung it around his neck. "Tri-Horned Dragon, attack!" The monstrous dragon crushed the whining insect beneath his claw, weakening Mai's score to 2050.

"Activate Flying Kamakiri's ability, allowing me to summon a wind monster with 1500 attack or less. I summon Harpie Lady 1 in attack mode!" _He's used up most of his hand already; perhaps I can use that to my advantage._

"I move Troop Dragon to the second row. In my End Phase, I activate Super Rejuvenation, allowing me to draw one card for every dragon I've either sacrificed or discarded this turn - in this case, that's five cards!"

"That's why you threw away your monsters? To replace them later? Jonouchi, you're being a complete jerk! Playing dirty tricks Mai can't see, then exchanging your monsters - this isn't your style at all!"

"I'm finished with all of that! I'm done with being stuck with weak monsters and unlucky moves and not being able to do anything about it! It's about time I got to determine my own hand. Besides, tricking someone is a perfectly legal play."

"You've never done that before!"

"You're too naiive. I've played many traps in the past, and there have been many duelists just ignorant enough to step into them because they thought I was weak. You're tricking yourself if you can't see that."

"...I don't believe this. He's been brainwashed completely."

"No, he hasn't." Dumbfounded, Honda turned to Mai, but she didn't elaborate.

"End turn."

_I could break his defenses now, but I can't give up my harpie. Not this one, at least..._ "Draw. I summon Harpie Queen in attack mode, and then I activate the trap card, Icarus Attack!" The teal-haired harpie no sooner appeared than she took to the sky. "Sacrificing my queen, I can destroy your face-down card and Tri-Horned Dragon!" In a blazing streak, she shot down at the great dragon.

"Activate continuous trap, The Dragon's Bead! By discarding one card, my dragon negates and destroys any trap that targets him." In a swipe of his claw, the dragon detonated the fiery harpie without flinching.

"Then I switch Harpie Lady 1 to defense mode, set one card and play D.D. Capsule. I remove one card from my deck, and in two turns, that card adds to my hand. End turn."

"Draw. This card trumps your capsule. I play Gold Sarcophagus, allowing me to remove a card from my deck, gaining it in two turns. But my spell isn't on the field, so it can't be touched. Now, Tri-Horned Dragon, attack!"

Before the beast could touch her monster, Mai responded, "Activate Windstorm of Etaqua! All opponent's face-up monsters change their battle positions!" A great gust stopped the dragons cold, forcing both of them to their knees. "Since a monster can't change position after attacking, Tri-Horned Dragon must stay in defense mode for this turn."

"I'm aware of that," spat Jonouchi. "End turn."

"Whew, it's good he threw away all his monsters, or else he might have played more," Honda sighed. "He must have lost more of his dueling ability than I thought."

"His abilities aren't gone, Honda."

"What do you mean? He's completely different."

"No... he's not," she said, and Honda noticed she was blinking repeatedly. "That's still Jonouchi, with all his persistence. But his ambition is obscuring his respect as a duelist. He's still him, but he's lost touch with part of himself, just as-" She choked, and Honda didn't need to hear her say that last part. _This is what I need to do for you, Jonouchi - awaken your dueling heart, just as you did for me!_

"Draw. I play Elegant Egotist, letting me summon another harpie from my hand or deck to join the harpie on my field. I summon Cyber Harpie in attack mode!"

"Neither is strong enough to beat Tri-Horned Dragon - even with Harpie Lady 1's ability."

"Right, but I still have another move: Premature Burial! I pay 800 life points to revive one monster, and I choose Harpie's Pet Dragon!" The crimson dragon burst from the earth with a vengeful roar.

"One of the monsters buried by Card Destruction, wasn't it?"

"Right, and now, with two harpies in play, and the 300 points from my harpie's ability, she gains 900 attack points for a total of 2900. Harpie's Pet Dragon, attack Tri-Horned Dragon!" In one breath, the giant dragon was incinerated, and Mai called, "Harpie Lady 1, destroy Troop Dragon!" The green dragon was slain, and she prepared herself, but nothing happened.

"Huh? Mai, where's the third Troop Dragon?"

"In his graveyard. He must have drawn it, and since he didn't summon it from his hand last turn, he drew it before playing Card Destruction." His clenched teeth were another clue. "Cyber Harpie, attach his life points directly!" One slash of the armored claw weakened him by more than half his power, down to 1900. "I set one card and end my turn. This is my dueling heart, Jonouchi. I know yours is still there."

"No... I'm not like that."

"You remember our duels before, how you gathered your monsters to help you! You have to-"

"Shut up! My draw." The next card lit his eyes in anticipation. "So, you want to see my monsters help me? Here's how they'll help: by giving their souls to bring forth my new monster!"

"What do you mean?"

"I activate the spell card, Dragon's Mirror! I remove Spirit Ryu, Hunter Dragon, and all three Troop Dragons from my graveyard to fusion summon a new monster!" Five ghosts were sucked into the mirror, which glowed a furious red, growing to enormous size. But more dreadful yet was the creature stepping forth from the mirror. It had five heads, each with a long neck, metallic and sleek, dark and ablaze, atop a wart-scaled body. It towered over them, a colossus, its roar deafening all its prey - merciless, all five of its brows bearing the seal. "I summon the Five-Headed Dragon!"

Trembling, she shouted, "Jonouchi, don't use that monster! Don't you remember what that monster did to us?" His face was stone. "That creature was our opponent in a dragon duel before. Neither of us could stop it, but you defended by blocking its attack with your Red-Eyes!"

He blinked, and murmured, "I... gave... my Red-Eyes?" He looked away, and tried to retrieve his breath.

More firmly, Mai called, "You gave your life to keep us safe from it - you must remember! Don't use the dragon that did that!"

But the seal surged on his brow, and his shadowy aura pulsed angrily. "I'll use whatever monster I choose, and I choose Five-Headed Dragon! If he was your enemy before, let him kill your dragon again! Attack Harpie's Pet Dragon!" All five mouths burst forth with rivers of elemental strength, chaos incarnate.

"Activate continuous trap, Mirror Wall!" The reflective barrier materialized, deflecting all the streams and stunning the enemy dragon. Its power dropped from 5500 to 2750, and the crimson dragon roared anew, launching its counterattack. The explosion struck home, and Jonouchi's strength dropped to 1750. But when the smoke cleared, the colossal dragon stood unfazed. "What? Why isn't it destroyed?"

"In the dragon duel, you didn't survive to see the full power of Five-Headed Dragon. But I've fought him more than once. I know his defense - he can't be destroyed by wind, earth, fire, water or dark monsters!"

"It can't be... only a light monster can destroy it?"

"Yes, and that doesn't leave many ways for you to fight back. To be sure, I'll set three cards to my field. Turn end."

"Draw. It's my second Standby Phase, so my capsule now opens!" _Time to unleash my harpies' signature spell!_

"I won't let you activate the Phoenix Formation!"

"What?" _He predicted that?_

"Activate Anti-Spell Fragrance! This continuous trap prevents both players from activating spells from their hands. Instead, we must set them face-down and may activate them later."

_He's dueling to kill, and he remembers my strategies, but not our friendship. But just now, that look in his eyes... He can still be reached. I can't give up!_ "I won't pay the life points to maintain Mirror Wall. I set two cards and switch all my monsters to defense mode. Turn end."

"Before I draw, I'll activate another trap card, Common Charity. This trap lets me draw two cards, and I must then remove from play one normal monster in my hand."

"What if you don't have one?"

"Then I must discard my entire hand immediately. But that's no sorrow to me."

"Jonouchi, that's enough!" Honda yelled. "Stop throwing away your monsters!"

"Don't tell me what to do! I'm ready to take the risk to bring out as much of my deck as I can."

About to protest, Mai sighed, saying, "Fine, if that's what you are now. But I don't think you are."

He laughed, "What makes you say that?"

"What is seen but cannot be seen."

"What?... what did you say?"

"You remember our connection, Jonouchi. You, me, Yugi, Anzu, everyone - we all share a bond. But... the two of us are different. We share something the others don't. Do you know what that is?"

"What cannot be seen, I suppose?"

"You'll see it again, what we share. But you have something of your own in this duel you can't see."

"There's nothing wrong with my sight!"

"It's because you're hiding it. What you can't see is the faith you had in your monsters, how you stood by them, all of them, big and small."

"Enough! That part of me is gone!"

"It's not, because they remember, and sooner or later, you'll be reminded of what you can't see anymore. They'll find a way to support you."

"Bullshit. I'm taking my cards now, and I'll throw away anything I have to. I can't lose with this draw; either way, my new strategy gets stronger." He drew his two cards and eagerly beheld them.

His petrified gasp was audible across the field; he nearly fell over, clutching his cards like the black spot of death. "...It can't- you..."

_He has it! I knew he'd draw it!_

"Red... Eyes?" Breathing shallowly, Jonouchi clutched his hand to his head, his eyes flinching and focusing in turn. The seal on his brow surged again, pulsing the dark aura around him, and it only made his gasping worse. "No... I can't- throw him away..." (Mai waved for Honda to be quiet) His hand convulsively gripped his card. "I don't care... I don't- want to do it!" With a great shudder and a yell, his arm lashed out, and Mai only just glimpsed the face of the card flung from his fingers to drop to the sand at the field's edge.

She didn't need a closer look. "Jonouchi... do you know what you've done?"

His eyes were broken and hollow, "I had no choice. There was no one else to give away. He's gone." Like a puppet, he drew the card for his turn. The golden glow from his disk barely drew his attention, blindly picking the card from his spell two turns ago.

"Jonouchi."

"Huh... what do you want? Trying to rub it in? That's what you want, isn't it?"

"Wrong - that's exactly what I don't want. Moping and resentment - this isn't who you are, Jonouchi! Remember what is unseen between you and your monster."

"Me... and Red-Eyes?"

"Remember how you won Red-Eyes?"

"...I made a wager, risking the best card I had."

"You bet more than that. You bet your place as a tournament duelist, your only chance to protect your sister."

"...Shizuka?"

"Your loyalty started you, and you went on to defeat powerful opponents with humble cards and great ones. How you did that is the mystery I never knew until I began to know you as a person."

"I can't see... my hope." Wincing, Jonouchi stood straighter, fiery again. "If you want to see me turn my cards to victory, I will!"

_That's it - meet me in your dueling spirit. I can only hope you'll remember your reasons too._

"I activate my face-down card, Giant Trunade, returning all spells and traps to the owner's hand!" A maelstrom of wind tore savagely at the field, sending three cards back to Mai's hand and two to Jonouchi's, the unmovable seal alone remaining. "Next, I play the spell Smashing Ground, destroying your monster with the highest defense!" Harpie's Pet Dragon wailed as the ground collapsed around her. "Five-Headed Dragon, destroy Harpie Lady 1!" This time, there was no wall to keep Mai's monster from being annihilated. "Next, I'll set four cards to the field. Turn end."

"Draw."

"I activate Anti-Spell Fragrance!"

"And I'm about to destroy it - I chain Mystical Space Typhoon!" Before the trap could spread its vapors, a cyclone spun straight for its heart.

Jonouchi laughed and replied, "Activate Curse of Royal, negating and destroying your spell!"

_I can still use my Phoenix card next turn, and even if he attacks, I can use this combo. _"I set two cards and end my turn."

"Not quite - I activate my own Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy one of your face-down cards!" This cyclone struck home, engulfing and shredding the phoenix-emblazoned spell.

"My turn. I set two cards. Five-Headed Dragon, destroy her last monster!" With a shriek, Harpie Queen was no more, leaving Mai with one card on the field and one in her hand. "This is all you can do? Maybe our shared potential isn't as strong as you thought."

Mai actually smiled. "Actually, that's the potential that's going to win this duel! My turn!" Fiercely, she drew her next card. "Jonouchi - in our first duel, you won by combining the smallest cards into great ones. Now let me do the same! I summon Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon in attack mode!" Chirping brightly, the new dragon was her predecessor in miniature. "But for her full power, I add my trap card - Hysteric Party!"

"What the hell?"

"By discarding one card, I can summon as many Harpie Lady monsters from my graveyard as possible!" In a bright glow, Harpie Lady 1, Harpie Queen, and Cyber Harpie reappeared, and their dragon growled savagely. "If I have at least one harpie, no harpies can be attacked while my dragon's in play. With at least two, my dragon's original attack and defense points double." Rearing tall, the dragon's strength rose to 2700. "And with at least three harpies, my dragon can destroy any one card on the field per turn!"

"No!"

"Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon, use your special ability to destroy Five-Headed Dragon!" The creature breathed deep and launched a bright ball of flame straight at the heart of its enemy.

"So be it! Activate trap card, Burst Breath!"

"What?" _That must be the card he drew from the sarcophagus!_

"By sacrificing my dragon, all monsters on the field with defense weaker than his attack are destroyed!" Even as the smaller fire struck home, the mighty dragon became a living inferno. With a vengeful screech, all five heads expelled streams of solid fire; the collision with the earth threw Mai and Honda off of their feet and rang the air like a bell.

Mai pushed herself up, seeing the smoke clear with no trace of any monster left. "T- turn end."

"My turn." He drew, but scowled at the outcome. "Turn end."

Honda released his breath. "That was close - 1250 life points left is too close to the end."

"My draw. I summon Birdface - attack his life points!" The armor-chested bird of prey swooped and slashed at Jonouchi's gut. He winced as his score fell to 150.

"Draw. I set one monster and end my turn."

"My turn. Birdface, attack."

"Reveal face-down monster - Cyber Jar!" The mechanical pot exploded, shattering its enemy. "Now we each pick up five cards and summon all low-level monsters. I play Element Dragon and Cave Dragon in attack mode!"

_...Finally - Harpie's Feather Duster!_ "I play three monsters in defense mode. Then I set three cards, and end my turn."

"Draw. Since I have a wind monster in play, Element Dragon has the power to attack a second monster after destroying a first one. Element Dragon, attack!"

"I activate my trap-"

"And I'll use The Dragon's Bead to negate it!"

"Sorry, but this trap isn't targeting your monsters - it's targeting mine. Go, Staunch Defender! This lets me choose the target for all your monsters to attack, and I pick Flying Kamakiri #1." The insect was easily destroyed, but Mai had a new monster already in mind. "I summon another Pet Baby Dragon!"

"Fine - with your monster in attack mode, my next attack hurts your life points."

"You can't do that."

"And why not?"

"My trap also says you may not attack any monster other than the one I choose. Since my Kamakiri was destroyed, there's nothing left for you to attack."

"Hmph. A temporary escape. Reveal my other face-down card - Magical Stone Excavation, allowing me to discard two cards and put one spell card back into my hand. I choose Monster Reincarnation! I set three cards and end my turn."

"My turn-"

"Activate trap, Xing Zhen Hu, to paralyze two face-down spell or trap cards!" In a flash, Mai's two cards were bound by the trap, unable to activate.

Mai tried to refocus on her strategy. _Jonouchi doesn't know that my other two monsters are harpies. My dragon only has 1200 attack points, but if I can play one more harpie, my dragon will gain attack points and her destructive power. I don't dare attack if he has a trap. Please..._ She drew urgently - but there was no smile at the result. "I set one monster and switch my dragon to defense. Turn end."

"So close, Mai. Planning to use her ability again? Your faith is faltering if your deck isn't listening to you."

"You remembered!" Surprised, he did not respond, so she continued, "You remembered the link between a duelist and the monsters."

Surging again, he retorted, "No, that isn't what I meant! It's my turn. Element Dragon, destroy her Pet Baby Dragon! Then attack the monster on the left!" The dragon easily incinerated the crimson dragon and her neighbor. "What - another Birdface?"

"Yes, but I don't have any Harpie Lady monsters in my deck, so I can't use his ability to move one to my hand."

"Hah - excellent. You're running out of strength. Cave Dragon, destroy another monster!" Harpie Queen was crushed beneath his heavy claw. "And now time to-" he staggered momentarily, clearing his vision, muttering, "...no ... I said, we'll do this my way..." Activating his face-down cards, he declared, "Go, Burial from a Different Dimension! This card lets me move three of my monsters that are removed from play back into my graveyard. Next, I'll use Monster Reincarnation to discard one card and get one monster back!" His fingers twitched towards the graveyard, but he wrenched his arm away, extended his hand and yelled, "I sacrifice Cave Dragon and Element Dragon-

_This is it!_

"-to summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" The fallen card glowed and flew onto Jonouchi's duel disk, igniting a field of light from the ground. With a screech, Red-Eyes landed into view, in all his black-scaled, claw-fierce power. Jonouchi laughed out loud as he and his dragon took up their battle stances. "This is my dueling will, Mai. Let's see if you can withstand it. I set one card and end my turn."

"My turn." Not knowing what to expect, she drew. "I set one card. Turn end."

"Hmm - I expected a counterattack, but I suppose you've used up all of your strength."

"That's not true!"

"You need better monsters to stand up to me. You've gotten weaker than I thought. But with Red-Eyes bearing his new power, I can overcome any monster you summon! My turn!" Eagerly, he prepared to draw... and paused. The card seemed loathsome to his fingers, and Red-Eyes trembled slightly, as did his master. "...what? This is... no, no I won't!"

And for the first time, Mai heard the voice - a smooth, plying, knowing voice - speak back to him.

"You will. This is what you have wanted all along, and you know it. It is yours, go on and take it!"

"No, I won't! I didn't want this!"

"You knew this was coming. All along, you knew. And now it is here."

"No! Leave me alone!" But the seal on his forehead was searing worse than ever. "Not that. I- anything, just not that! Activate trap card, Fire Darts!" Immediately the air around him was filled with sharp-smelling arrows. "This trap- when I have no hand, I can use this. It rolls three dice, and the total number is multiplied by 100 and... and dealt to you as damage."

"What? No!"

But Jonouchi was seized up, clutching his head, and did not hear her. The first burning die flipped and landed four. The second landed with a snap on six. Flames burst out all around them.

"Jonouchi... whatever happens..." but he was deaf. The heat licked at her skin, and like lead, the last die hung in the air and fell. Shrieking, the arrows seared in a hellish salvo at Mai's heart-

"Don't kill her!"

The explosions were lost on her ears as countless points of white-hot pain burst through her. She dropped face first, desperately trying to hang on, but the pain had blinded her. Panting, panting... she raised her eyes... and saw the last number - two. She had 50 life points left, but she was alive. Coughing and pushing to her feet, she gasped, "Jonouchi, I-"

"You have done enough. I will handle things from here." His eyes now covered in shadow, Jonouchi drew the card and spoke in a merged voice. "I sacrifice Red-Eyes Black Dragon to summon a new monster!" With a shriek, Red-Eyes was engulfed in flame, and the duelist laughed, "Jonouchi, did you really think any of this was your idea? Depriving me of my monsters, summoning Red-Eyes at any cost? I have known your heart from the beginning, and you have done a superb job helping me. It is because of you that I have brought my ultimate dragon into play!"

Mai gazed at the heart of the searing fire, already melting away. A black dragon remained, its hide now fused and sleek, face scarred blood-red, wings heavily-armored and dominating.

"Behold - the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon!" The dragon roared - no, it was only breathing, but it was warm with flame and a predator's eager hunger. "Your harpies are drawn out, and that is your weakness, but by drawing out this duel, you have made me stronger!"

"What do you mean?"

A black circuit began to flow from human to dragon. "This dragon has a special ability that grants him 300 attack points for each dragon in my graveyard!"

"No..."

"And for your information-" the burning ghosts of his creatures appeared and swarmed around their leader, whose mouth now emanated the hateful voice "-there are ten dragons in my graveyard. Combined with the Orichalcos' power, the total is 5900 attack points!"

"It... can't be..."

"Now it is time to incinerate your final monster!" The terrible creature held the flame in his throat for one prolonged instant, then launched the volcanic stream all at once. The catastrophic explosion tore Cyber Harpie to ash before she could flinch; deflected as it was, the pyre cascaded across Mai, scorching at every part of her. "This is the end. Your friend is shattered by his guilt, and your deck is exhausted. There is no strength left to break me."

"You're wrong."

"Defiant to the last. Jonouchi told me much about you. Your headstrong nature, your refusal to listen - simply put, it is pride. Understandable, but ill-supported."

"You fool - you see even less than I thought you did."

"Hmm?"

"You see nothing but the weaknesses of people. That's what you did to Jonouchi: you made him forget everything that was good about himself and his friends."

"Correct - and now his weaknesses are all he has left." Indeed, Jonouchi stood limply, unseeing, uncaring.

Maintaining her gaze, Mai readdressed her enemy, "You haven't understood: failures are not everything in a person's life. With the right belief, you can always return and accomplish your goals."

"He has no belief."

"Then I'll provide it for him! My deck is no longer for myself, so it doesn't matter how weak it has become, or the pain I have felt. I am for my friends, and always will be!"

"Then take your turn."

_Jonouchi - be with me. Don't hide your heart anymore, but let me speak to it. Let me help you out of the dark!_ "My turn!" But touching her new card brought a strange thing to Mai's eyes.

She was flying along a bright tunnel, appearing above a pristine castle. With no effort, she sailed through the main window, descending in a great vaulted chamber with a plinth bearing three round platforms, all vacant. But she did not settle to them - the plinth was actually a column that dropped into a deep chasm, as did she. Leveling off, she found herself in a torch-lit mausoleum, at least as massive as the previous chamber. The light was clustered in three places, and she neared one. There was an inscription at the floor: "For these three loyal defenders of our kingdom, they that await the ones who will heal their shattered souls. Let their sacrifice never be forgotten." Looking up, she gasped at the great statue before her.

It was a dragon, with great swept wings, lithe limbs, and perilously sharp claws and horn. Then, Mai glimpsed the sword jutting from the dragon's chest. Knowing without knowing how, she moved in, gripped the sword and pulled. By degrees, by inches it moved, then suddenly it was out, thrown away. A whisper, a tremor, then suddenly fractures appeared in the stone, and the statue was demolished - but a great form of light remained. The dragon was alive! With orchid hide and bright eyes, she gazed at her liberator. In awe, Mai whispered, "I know you... you're part of my heart, as I'm part of yours." Resting a hand on her gentle muzzle, she greeted, "Penelope!"

Her senses rushed again - she had returned to her world. _Did that really just happen?_ Then she looked up and again beheld Jonouchi, comatose, and the dragon, triumphant. _This must be how Jonouchi felt when he drew his dragon - this card can break the darkness, I know it!_ "Draw card!" Warm in her hand, it felt unreal, yet familiar...

There! It was the dragon, her dragon! The card's artwork showed her resting - no, simply waiting for the time to act. And now... "Jonouchi, I know you can hear me, and know it's time to reawaken your heart!"

The dark dragon laughed, "And I suppose you still plan on drawing on his strength instead of yours?"

"Exactly."

"Nonsense."

"Wrong. Here's how - I activate my face-down card, Monster Reborn! Revive Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" In a magnificent column of light, Red-Eyes reappeared in the skies above Mai, landing strong and pure before his new ally.

Jonouchi whispered, "Red... Eyes?"

"Listen to your dragon, Jonouchi. He's crying because he sees you turned away from him. He wants you back-"

"-but you can never go back, Jonouchi," the shrouded dragon murmured. "Look at yourself - the destruction you caused, the lives you threw away. Who would want you now?"

"We would, Jonouchi - Red-Eyes and I both want you back. It doesn't matter what you've done or how guilty you feel. Please, don't hide anymore. We want you to come back!"

The demon laughed at their efforts, but ever so slightly, Jonouchi raised his head, "Red-Eyes... Mai?"

"This show of love changes nothing. The strength is all on my side - the darkness and my strategies have you entirely blocked out."

"There's still one card left that can break all of that. Jonouchi, witness our hearts! I call upon the Wing of Penelope!"

"What is this?"

The bright window between worlds opened, from which appeared the splendid dragon, perilous in glare and claw. "Penelope, give Red-Eyes your power by fusing with my face-down card - Harpie's Feather Duster!" The spell rose despite its bindings, joining with the dragon's heart as light engulfed all three cards. The darkness dragon winced and groaned until the light began to clear.

Red-Eyes was aloft again, borne up not with his dragonhide wings, but with majestic feathered wings. His triumphant cry made his opponent tremble despite himself. Mai declared, "Harpie's Sacred Wing, activate your ability! When this card is created and whenever my monster attacks, all opponent's spell and trap cards are destroyed!"

"What? No!"

With a mighty rush, Red-Eyes' wings snapped down, unleashing a whirlwind on the far field. Torn from the ground, Xing Zhen Hu, Anti-Spell Fragrance and The Dragon's Bead were obliterated all in an instant. Mai wasn't finished. "My spell has another ability: the original attack and defense points of the equipped monster become 2700."

"That is hardly nearer my power."

"But your power has already weakened. When you lost a dragon, you fell to 5600 attack points. Also, I'm now able to use my last card!"

"And what is that?"

"The equip spell card, Megamorph!" A rough hewn circle appeared at Red-Eyes' feet, generating an energy field around him that further illuminated his wings and body. "If my life points are higher than my opponents, this spell halves the original attack of its bearer. But since my life points are lower, Red-Eyes' original attack is doubled!" Filling the sky, he roared his newfound strength of 5400.

"So this is it? This is your redemption strategy?"

"This is everything I have - it is enough."

"Then on my next turn, you will lose everything."

"There is no next turn. I'm giving all of my heart in this moment! Red-Eyes Black Dragon, attack Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon! Inferno Fire Blast!" Her champion breathed deep, igniting his will in a white-hot spring within himself.

"So be it!" His opponent prepared to unleash his own inferno.

"I'M SORRY!"

"What?" gaped the dark dragon. Looking down, he saw Jonouchi, wide-eyed, heedless of the tears welling in his eyes.

"I've done some terrible things, betrayed everything I meant to you - Red-Eyes, and Mai. But you've never forgotten me. I don't deserve this, but I don't want push away your gift. Please... forgive me..."

"It is too late - you friends are already stepping to their death."

Jonouchi raised his arm and called, "Red-Eyes - absolve the darkness from my heart! I surrender the Seal to your power!"

Triumphant, Red-Eyes fired a joyful cyclone straight at his master's heart and the disk held before it. Deaf to the dark dragon's protests, Jonouchi met the wind open-eyed, letting it surge around him in a howling undertow. _Red-Eyes... Mai... I'm sorry... thank you for never giving up on me..._ His stone broke, the Seal card faded, and the hexagram boundary glowed feebly before shrinking to nothingness.

As the dark circuit broke away from Jonouchi, retracting into the dragon alone, the mark faded from the dark brow, and the magic in the demon's eyes was replaced by mortal fear.

Trembling but stern, Jonouchi spoke: "Finish him."

Red-Eyes opened his jaws anew, calling forth a white-hot sphere, bringing a second sunrise to the sky. With a final shriek, he launched it, scorching a thunderous concussion in its wake before it struck the heart of its victim. The explosion did not drown the demon's screams, but with a burst it silenced them completely.

Jonouchi smiled, "It's over," as his life points disappeared. His eyes were entirely for Red-Eyes, but no... Mai had been the one to truly reach him. He resolved to-

-the sky screamed once more from nowhere and everywhere. The shadows were regathering, many shreds gravitating to one point that declared, "I am not done with you!" An amorphous darkness appeared, swooping like a bird of prey at his petrified target.

Mai came running to her friend, but Red-Eyes got there first, beating a hemisphere of wind with his great wings. The darkness snarled and gnashed at the barrier, plying in vain for a weakness.

"Jonouchi, we have to get you out of here!" Reaching to pull his hand, she stopped short as hers slipped through his wrist as if he were merely air.

He looked at his hand as if it was a long-forgotten injury. Finally, he closed his eyes and said, "I'm not free yet."

"What? But we beat the darkness! He can't stop you now."

"You freed my soul, yes. But that's all I am."

"Well... then go back to your body! It's safe at the hospital."

"It's not. I can't go back because this demon put a curse on my body. It won't hold my soul anymore until the darkness is broken. It's how he caught me at the beginning."

"Well, I won't leave you behind! You're not going back with him!"

Jonouchi looked deeply at her and smiled, saying, "I know. There's a reason Penelope is of your heart." He lifted his eyes to his dragon, expectantly. With a final glow, Red-Eyes separated, once more distinct from Penelope, and began to break into countless shining fragments.

Mai gasped - Jonouchi was glowing and dissolving in the same way. "What-"

"I trust you, Mai. I'll be safe with you." The pieces of Jonouchi and his dragon mingled, every one tumbling into Mai's disk at the spot where she had revived Red-Eyes.

In frustration, the demon screamed. Mai's gaze mirrored that of her stalwart guardian. "There's nothing more you can do here. You're finished." Penelope launched a stream of light at the dark field, but it vanished before she could touch it.

"I look forward to our next meeting."

Silence reigned; the sky began to open. Honda broke the spell, cheering, "Yes! That was great! That guy gave you his toughest fight, and you won!"

"We can't celebrate yet - the fight isn't over."

"I'm just amazed that you drew that dragon! I mean, it's at least as strong as..." Mai's dragon card had just started glowing, suddenly brighter, then softer again. Picking it from the disk, Mai saw there were now two cards, and the new one was a red steel-hide blade-clawed dragon, compact and formidable.

"That's Jonouchi's..."

"Hermos!"


	3. Power to Destroy, Will to Survive

If anything, Mokuba had run faster in the past few blocks, but Marik had given up telling him to slow down. Short as Mokuba was, he was not hindered even by the bag strapped to his back, snatched out of Mai's car as they had left. Yard by yard, the stadium drew nearer, until Mokuba was dashing through the gate, calling, "Brother! Where are you?" Marik tried to keep up, amazed the boy had breath to speak, when he saw Mokuba stop dead at the gate to the central arena.

He gasped out, "Mokuba, what..." but he had just seen the sky open up, the darkness spilling out like blood from a wound. Pouring to the ground, a hole in the shadow opened, and a figure strode out, cloaked in all shades of black.

"Brother!" Mokuba dashed out to greet Seto, but stopped short when he saw the cold scowl on his brother's face. "Wh- what's wrong?"

"Why did you come here?"

"We... we found out you'd appear here- Seto, what happened to you? You don't look right."

"It doesn't concern you."

"What's that supposed to mean? Of course it concerns me - I'm worried about you," he said, holding out his hand.

Kaiba slapped the hand away, snapping, "It's time you stopped getting involved in everything I have to do, just because you feel dependent on me."

"S- Seto..."

"Hey!" Marik ran to Mokuba's side. "Back off! For all we knew, you might have been dead! Your brother's concerned for your well-being, but you're throwing him off? Something's wrong with you, Kaiba. What happened in that shadow?"

"No business of yours."

"Seto! You need to get out of this act, right now!"

"Act? Who are you to give me orders?"

"I'm your brother, and you're not going anywhere until you remember! Here's your memory!" Ripping open his bag, he pulled out a duel disk, withdrawing a deck from his pocket.

Kaiba laughed. "Feeling ambitious, are we?"

"Seto, this deck is yours! I knew you wouldn't want it out of your sight, so I saved it and the disk from your case."

Kaiba smirked and lifted his left arm. From the shadows that suddenly swirled around it appeared a new disk, sculpted of what seemed disgustingly like black, gaunt flesh, with a deck already inside. "You think I'd fall back on trash like that? I have new goals in mind, and that merits new cards."

"New... but these are the cards you used-"

"-to chase old dreams! What does dreaming do for anyone? Real duelists get what they want by taking the direct path."

"Seto... what happened to you?"

Seeing Mokuba's hand begin to tremble, still clutching the deck, Kaiba added, "I do want a duel, but not with you."

"Then duel me, Kaiba!"

Laughing at Marik's nerve, Kaiba shot back, "The only one worthy of my power is the other Yugi."

"You won't reach the Pharaoh!"

"And you think you can stop me? You can't compare to him!"

With all he had, Mokuba released, "Then fine, Seto, challenge him! But you couldn't win anyway!"

"What?"

"Without your real deck, your duels are nothing, and you know it."

Catching, Kaiba inhaled his rage, declaring, "You dare... I'll show you what I have become. Marik! You will be the first test of my power. You couldn't have beaten me before, and now you'll recognize my new strength!"

Turning to Marik, Mokuba said, "Marik... don't think too badly of Seto. His anger has held him before, and... I think this is like that. He's him, but only that part."

With no other way to assure him, Marik took the proffered disk and strapped it firmly onto his wrist. Kaiba scoffed and turned to walk to a proper dueling distance.

Deftly, Mokuba drew one card from the deck, slipping it into Marik's palm. "Get him to remember the soul we share, and he'll remember the best of himself." He took his position not too far back as Marik shuffled his deck and loaded it.

Turning sharply, Kaiba spat, "Let's do this."

"Duel!"

"I'll go first," said Kaiba. "This card should look familiar. I summon Newdoria in attack mode! I also set one card."

_Newdoria is the card I- no, my dark side played against Kaiba! Is his other card Spell of Pain? Even if it isn't, attacking is dangerous._

"Perhaps you think my face-down card is your spell. Let me save you the suspense - it's not."

"How can I believe you?"

But his opponent only smiled. "End turn."

Mokuba gasped, "Seto, why did you change your deck to this? Getting back at the opponent with head games - this isn't what your deck is!"

His brother sneered, "You don't know anything about me, so you couldn't understand my deck!"

"Seto, don't do this! You have to remember everything we've shared, remember who you are!"

"I know who I am, and this deck is exactly what I need. Now go, Marik!"

_Mokuba may believe in Kaiba, but I can't trust him or his face-down card._ "Draw. I set one monster and one card to the field. I end my turn!"

"I summon Mystic Tomato in attack mode. Newdoria, attack his monster!"

"Reveal face-down monster, Humanoid Slime, with 2000 defense!"

"All right!" said Mokuba. "800 points of damage should help wake him up."

"Except I won't be taking the damage. Activate Spell of Pain!" But to Marik's surprise, the card was played from Kaiba's hand, just as the armored slime repelled his fiend. "Now my opponent suffers my damage. I end my turn."

"Draw. I summon Granadora in attack mode! By summoning this monster successfully, my life points increase by 1000," and his breathing eased as the white glow surrounded him. "Now attack Mystic Tomato!" The bulky reptile easily shredded the plant, making the score 4200 to 3500.

Without the slightest flinch, Kaiba declared, "Its special power lets me summon a dark monster from my deck with 1500 attack or less - Snipe Hunter in attack mode!" The slippery imp held his shooter ready.

Mokuba breathed again. "I thought he would play another Newdoria."

_So did I. He played a monster with the maximum attack power... is he already planning a counterattack?_ "I set one card and end my turn."

"Draw." He smiled and said, "I activate the spell, Terraforming! This lets me move one field spell from my deck to my hand. This is the card that will put aside all the dark powers you've ever known." As he picked out the card, he drew a green-stone pendant from his cloak and put it around his neck.

"Brother- Seto, no!"

"I activate the Seal of Orichalcos!" The burning seal surged out from around his feet, encircling both duelists and filling Kaiba with the dark spiteful aura. Marik began to shiver; Kaiba had become more terrible than any face he had ever seen.

"What have you done?"

"Ah yes, of course - you've never seen the power of the seal. Then behold, as its power flows through me and my monsters, enhancing their power!" The enraged Snipe Hunter and Newdoria rose to 2000 and 1700 attack. Over his brother's pleas to stop, Kaiba declared, "I activate the ability of Snipe Hunter, discarding one card and targeting your Humanoid Slime!" The numbers one to six sprang up around the imp, circling faster and faster, then slowing gradually... stopping at four. "If the resulting number is not one or six, the selected card is destroyed!"

"No!"

Raising his weapon, the fiend launched a dark beam, piercing the target in a burst. "Snipe Hunter, attack Granadora!" Swinging the aim, another beam destroyed the crying reptile. "That activates your monster's second power, dealing 2000 damage to you." The dark blast made Marik stagger, but even before he looked up, Kaiba called, "Newdoria, attack him directly!" The dark grip slashed at Marik's face, knocking him to the ground with a yell. Kaiba laughed at the prone form and Mokuba's concerned cries. "3500 to 400. Your move."

Panting, Marik pushed himself to his feet. _Those attacks weren't normal - they were real! I could feel the hatred from those monsters... is this what affected Kaiba's mind?_ "My... move." Even as he tried to draw, his head swooned.

"Yes, by all means, fight back. Because the seal's destructive power won't end with this duel."

"Wh... what do you mean?"

"When a duel in the Orichalcos ends, only the winner is able to exit the boundary. The loser remains trapped, his soul caught by the Seal!"

"It... can't be. A dark duel... to the death?"

"Marik, you can't lose focus! You have to bring my brother back to himself!"

"How many times have I told you - this talk of saving friends is weakness! Duels are a sign of power, not compassion!"

Straightening, Marik said, "You're wrong. Much is revealed about one's character in the duel. In the past, you have put much into your duels, and that essence is what you need back."

"And you think you can deliver it?"

"You've never seen my real deck, because my dark half hid it and me away too soon. Now we'll see - draw! I activate the spell card, Reasoning! First, you must predict a level. I will pick up cards from my deck until I find a monster, and all other cards go to the graveyard. If the monster is the level you chose, it is also buried, but if it is not, I summon it immediately."

"Hmph... even though you've lost your dark half, I can guess your tactics. I choose level 4."

Marik checked the first card: not a monster. The second card: still no monster. The third- He discarded the first two, saying, "A good guess, but it couldn't have worked this time. You assume my strategies are all my own, but I'm for you now!"

"What? Your deck has nothing to do with me!"

"This card does! I summon the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

"What the hell?"

From the air broke a field of light, producing a dragon with sky-blue scales, powerful with a swept neck, curve-sharp wings and beady teeth, its commanding roar striking at his former master's heart.

"B- Blue-Eyes... Why are you against me?"

"This is the heritage you pushed away, Kaiba, the foundation on which you built your future."

"Don't you remember, Seto? Even when we were young, we swore we'd never be beaten by any obstacle. We dreamed this dragon would carry us over everything!"

Kaiba was breathing hard, focusing and fading, clutching with one hand. "Blue-Eyes... Mokuba..."

"Let this be your memory! But first, open face-down card, Black Pendant. This equip spell adds 500 to the dragon's attack strength, for a total of 3500. Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack Snipe Hunter with Burst Stream of Destruction!" The champion launched a focus of energy straight at the snarling imp.

"Activate spell card, Fires of Doomsday!" Two dark clouds formed in front of the two fiends, and one exploded from the blast with a shriek.

"What happened?" But the remaining cloud was already condensing into a one-eyed ghost, glowing with the seal.

"This spell summons two Doomsday Tokens to my field in defense mode. Each has zero original attack and defense points."

"But why is the surviving one standing in front of your monsters? Is it a special ability?"

"The only ability they have is that they cannot be used for a tribute summon, except for a dark-attribute monster. You have my seal to thank for that defense - it lets me play monsters to my spell and trap card zone, and those monsters cannot be attacked unless the front row of monsters is empty."

"That means you could play a total of ten monsters!"

"Exactly. Now you see how my new skills outweigh my old ones!" he declared, standing straight again.

_I've never seen a card like this before! Even with Blue-Eyes, can I defeat his monsters? I'll have to use every counter-strategy I have. _"I set two cards and one monster. End turn."

"Draw." Discarding the new card, Kaiba said, "I activate Snipe Hunter's power again, target... targeting the middle face-down card!"

_Yes, I think the Blue-Eyes is already making him remember his emotions!_ The numbers, spinning perilously, slowed and slowed, and stopped on six. "A misfire!" But Marik's enjoyment was cut short by the growing shadow around Kaiba.

"Hardly - you'll see why before long. Now to kill your high-level monster and begin my revenge! Tribute summon!"

"Activate trap card, Joyful Doom! This trap removes all attack points from monsters offered for a summon, adding those points to my life points." _The token is surely a tribute, and though 500 points isn't much-_ "What's happening?" For all three monsters were shrouded in the purple fog turning aglow and streaming into Marik, his score now 4600. "You're offering all three monsters?"

"It's worth it to summon the highest class of monster. I summon The Wicked Eraser!" A dark bolt shot down from the sky, surging the air and heralding the skeletal shape descending. It was shaped as a dragon, nearly all of tail, with bone-mask face, ragged wings, and vicious claws. The seal on its brow completed the infernal aura, but it was terrifyingly familiar.

"That dragon looks like Slifer!"

"Fiend, not dragon. This is my dark god, the one who will answer my command!"

"This is your revenge - to summon a demon of the card you didn't have?"

"My revenge is to take the power I should have had!"

"But Seto, you don't need that card! You're a great duelist on your own!"

"Shut up - I've chosen my way. Now behold my Eraser's power - his attack power is 1000 for every opponent's card! Since your field has five cards, his attack is 5000! Now attack the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Rearing to its full height, the monstrosity launched its dark beam, burning like lightning.

"Activate trap, Pharaoh's Treasure!" But Marik was drowned out by Blue-Eyes' death cry and the dark explosion, dragged to 4100 life points. "This... this trap is immediately moved face-up into my deck, taking 1000 points from your monster."

"That's all you have? Pitiful. My demon loses a little strength, and your spell deals 500 damage to me for being destroyed. Despite all that, your dragon died."

Mokuba yelled, "How... you... You lost the Blue-Eyes in one turn? You bastard! You, you..."

"Well put, Mokuba. It's quite a letdown. No doubt he promised to protect you, and you trusted him with that dragon. Yet all he can do is save a few life points."

"Mokuba-"

"Yeah, how could you?"

"I'm sorry! I lost focus, I gambled too much at once. It's my fault the Eraser got so strong." He turned to face Mokuba's glare. "But even though I don't understand Blue-Eyes as well as you or your brother, I won't give up. I'll use all I am to maintain that connection!"

Silent at first, he answered, "Fine. But you'd better not let us down."

"You have my word." Turning back to Kaiba, Marik called, "I'm ready for you."

"Doubtful. End turn."

"Draw. Activate spell card, Pot of Greed!" With his two fresh cards, he declared, "Kaiba, to restore your bond, your monster will return to you from the dead! Go, Monster Reborn - revive Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Again the light burst, and the dragon roared forth anew, baffling Mokuba and Kaiba alike. _This is the soul of my deck, to rescue my trump card as often as needed. But this time, I'm not pursuing Ra - I'm supporting a friend, and judging from Kaiba's face, it's working again!_ "I set one card and end my turn."

Wicked Eraser grew fiercer with the new opponents, and Kaiba's rage returned. "Is this a bluff? My monster is back to 4000 attack, and your dragon is in attack mode again. You can't be such an idiot that you think I'll spare Blue-Eyes out of compassion."

"Wouldn't you?"

"You haven't changed at all. Well, neither has my strength. Draw!" A distinct glow ran across him, his score rising to 3200.

"What happened?"

"When I used Snipe Hunter the second time, I discarded Marie the Fallen One. With this card in my graveyard, my life increases by 200 every standby phase. And now for my champion's power: Wicked Eraser, destroy the Blue-Eyes!" Again, the dark dragon clashed, though Blue-Eyes fought the blast with its utmost energy stream.

"The stakes haven't changed, Kaiba, but I have. Activate trap, Malevolent Catastrophe! When my opponent's monster attacks, this card can activate, destroying all spell and trap cards on the field. Go - break the power of the darkness!" The trap exploded, pulverizing Marik's face-down card. Eyes locked on the titans' struggle above, Marik watched Wicked Eraser's stream falter. With a mighty effort, Blue-Eyes forced its beam through the skin of its rival, as the Eraser shrieked its last and fell to earth.

Kaiba snarled venomously, his score dropping to 2200. "Damn you... but I still have my greatest power in hand."

Marik looked closer as the smoke cleared. _No... _the seal was still in play! "Is this another ability, to prevent destruction?"

"Yes - the seal's last ability is that, once played, it never leaves the field until the duel ends!"

_And when the duel ends..._ "Still, the darkness of Wicked Eraser has been struck out of your heart!"

"But at what cost? What power have you unleashed?" Gaping and limp, the fallen demon was pulsing with a shadowy energy, its frequency rising, quickening, hitting critical mass- It detonated, its infernal concussion ripping into the field, the sky, the very air screaming. Marik and Mokuba were thrown off their feet, with Marik's flight stopped abruptly by the crushing impact with the seal's unseen border.

With his few willing limbs, Marik pushed himself up. The seal glowered under his fingers, but there was nothing else left. Nothing but him and Kaiba.

"Impressed?"

"How could you... another of Wicked Eraser's effects?"

"Yes - when he is destroyed, he destroys all cards on the field. He even has the power to destroy himself, just to activate his effect, releasing havoc on all around him."

_The demons blocking Kaiba are strong, but for his sake I must endure!_ "Activate monster ability!" From the ground sprung a billowing cloud of sand that slowly shaped itself into a slouching form.

"What the hell is that?"

"That is my Sand Moth, and his ability states that when he's destroyed while face-down, except in battle, he is summoned back to my field with his original attack and defense points exchanged!" Standing straight, the creature sprouted dusky wings, flexing its newfound 2000 attack points.

"I set one monster," Kaiba scoffed. "End turn."

"Draw. I set one card. Now, Sand Moth - attack!" Swooping down, the creature shredded the hidden card. Marik smiled, once more in control, then staggered as pangs shot throughout his body, his score at 3600.

"You've sprung the power of my monster, Giant Germ. It burns away 500 of your life points, then lets me call two more Giant Germs from my deck in attack mode!" Before him appeared two great blobs of hairy purple and scabby brown, each now with 1500 attack.

"Turn end."

"Draw." Kaiba's life rose to 2400, but there was another feeling... With the new card, the vile sensations swept out from Kaiba once more. "Can you feel what's coming, Marik? The unstoppable force?"

"You won't intimidate me!"

"No... he'll do it for me. First, I activate my spell, Fiend Sanctuary!" Between the germs appeared a sharp-forged effigy. "Remember this? I gave this card to Yugi so he could beat you, and he used it to call his own god."

"You can't..."

"This is how I'll destroy you! I sacrifice both Giant Germs and my Metal Fiend Token to summon my new god - The Wicked Dreadroot!" All three monsters were swallowed by the ground's shadows, which then belched forth a new darkness, with an enormous figure rising from the abyss. Dominating in build and stature, encased in bone, hateful of all life, it stood, and it saw its prey, saw every shiver of their hearts.

"That thing... the pressure..." Behind him, Mokuba was chattering and trembling, and a whimper tore his gaze away. Sand Moth had dropped to the ground, shriveled and huddled.

"Yes, fall before the mere presence of the Dreadroot! This is his effect, that all other monsters reduce to half their power! And unlike the Eraser, his power does not depend on the opponent, but rises by the seal to 4500!"

Mokuba gasped, "4500... with half strength, no monster can approach him!"

"But we will not fall! Activate trap, Card of Last Will!"

"What the-?"

"When my monster's attack strength is reduced by the opponent's effect, I can draw a new hand of five cards!" With all his courage, he drew, and in it was a flash of purple and gold. "I've drawn Pharaoh's Treasure again, allowing me to discard it and bring one card from the grave to my hand. Return, Monster Reborn!"

"That shit is worthless against this! Wicked Dreadroot, destroy Sand Moth!" Rearing back, the crushing blow fell from the sky, smiting the stone monster and rushing its wake on the victim's owner. "That's 100 left. You're dead."

His shaking stilled, Marik only looked back.

"Turn end."

"My draw! Activate spell, Card of Safe Return! This card will join me to the returning will of my monsters, because with every summon from my graveyard, I will draw one card. I play Monster Reborn - revive Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" In a new light, the dragon rose to the field. Even as the colossal fiend looked down, it growled against the pressure. "I set one card and end my turn. This is it, Kaiba - the will of your past returns again!"

"Shut up! My past is not in this!"

"But you remember your past - you play cards seen in your tournament."

"That part of my past was a failure, but it's recast now to my victory! Everything not to my path is demolished!"

"That's not true. You've simply forgotten what was there. That's why you're afraid."

"You- afraid?" His eye twitched menacingly.

"You're afraid that you lost something you can't get back, something you needed. When you saw Blue-Eyes, your eyes didn't burn with hate. It was longing, the desire to be close."

"Shut the hell up!"

"You want your Blue-Eyes back, and you want your old feelings back. The courage to not have your decisions driven by your failures, but by the goals and loyalties you-"

"My turn! And soon I'll destroy that dragon again, and your life with it!"

"Do as you will. But this time, learn from your memories. You're not limited to these wicked monsters."

Kaiba nearly tore his next card grabbing it, not noticing his life at 2600. "Here's how I surpass limits. I activate Card of Demise, letting me draw until I hold five cards!" His eyes devoured his new hand, then smiled gleefully. "You killed my first demon by a trap, a heavily-favored strategy for you. But if I remove the trap, you are open to a killing blow. So I'll..." Above one card, his hand seized up. The gasp was only for a moment; sneering at the traitorous hand, Kaiba played the card, "I use Heavy Storm to destroy your cards!"

As the tempest rolled towards him, Marik replied, "Our bond will not be broken! Activate Magic Jammer - by discarding one card, your spell is destroyed." A conjured shield, the glowing emblem easily dispelled the magical wind.

"You still stand by your talk of reviving will?"

"This is your soul, Kaiba! Don't turn away from it, don't repeat your mistake!"

"You have no face-down cards left. There's nothing to stop me. I... I..." Wincing, he cried, "Attack his dragon!" The demon roared, slashing his fearsome hand at the suffering dragon. Kaiba groaned but could not look away from the inevitable annihilation.

Blue-Eyes raised its voice on high and was enveloped in a radiant sphere, blazing with all its devotion. The fist collided and stopped dead, frustrated, then petrified as the light grew brighter with strain. With a recoiling pulse, the light surged over the demon, allowing only one futile wail before obliterating the behemoth completely.

Kaiba was thunderstruck. Shuddering, he gazed at his dragon, restored to its full might, the sphere dissolved away. "Blue... Eyes?" There was nothing else for anyone to say.

All too soon, the seal on his brow pulsed again, and he spat back to Marik, "This was your doing! How could you defy my monster?"

"I set only one card, but I had more than one trap."

"What do you... your discard!"

"Right - for Magic Jammer's cost, I discarded Makyura the Destructor, whose ability says that, in the turn he enters my graveyard, I can activate trap cards from my hand!"

"You bastard..."

"And the trap card I chose was the sacred barrier - Mirror Force!"

"...so it was a trick all along. The Blue-Eyes showed no special power."

"Then how do you explain the look in your eyes when Blue-Eyes prevailed over your demon?"

"That- enough! I set one monster and end my turn."

"Draw! Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack! Clear his field with Burst Stream of Destruction!" As the blast hit the target exactly, Marik caught a glimpse of the hidden monster before it was ruined completely - a squat three-eyed imp. "That was..."

"When Sangan is destroyed and enters the grave, I move a monster with 1500 or less attack from my deck to my hand. And there's only one card to meet the power of my Blue-Eyes: Chaos Necromancer!"

_No - that monster's ability..._ "I set three cards and end my turn."

"Draw." His life now at 2800, Kaiba's eyes regarded Marik and his cards - all of them - coldly and calmly. "So it comes to our full strength. I set one card and summon Double Coston!" The twin ghosts circled each other, mocking and sinister, totaling 2200 attack.

"Does this mean you changed your mind about attacking?"

"Just the opposite - to challenge the Blue-Eyes requires the power of every monster I have. To gather my full strength, I play the spell, Double Summon, allowing me to summon a second monster this turn. Go, Chaos Necromancer!" The snickering devil appeared in front of his ally, smoky green ghosts of fallen monsters already appearing around him. "This monster's attack becomes the number of monsters in my graveyard multiplied by 300, for a total of 3300!"

Mokuba was stunned. "Already, he's ready to attack again?"

"Oppose this, Marik! Necromancer, attack!" With the ghosts gathered into one noxious orb, the masked fiend hurled the cloud of death to the heart of his enemy.

"Activate trap, Desert Sunlight! This trap shifts all my monsters into face-up defense position." Dipping its head and furling its wings, Blue-Eyes neatly caught the attack, crumbling without a sound.

Kaiba's mouth opened and closed failingly. "What the... that's all? Yet again, your trap did nothing but protect you! I gave my best effort, and that's all you can do?"

"It was my best."

"You bastard! You let him die!"

"My heart is in this move and every one, just as yours is."

"No... your bond fell apart... You failed to defend him, so you can join him! Double Coston, attack him directly!" The dark ghosts lunged for their prey.

"Activate spell card, Dark Spell Renewal, allowing me to activate a spell from my graveyard in response to your attack! Go, Monster Reborn - revive Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" The ghosts shrank back from the reignited light and the restored dragon. Drawing his extra card, Marik declared, "The bond is renewed. Your dragon lives to meet you again."

Caught between shock and pulsing anger, Kaiba gasped, "Turn end."

"Draw. You mustered all your energy to match Blue-Eyes' power. Now he will meet you in kind. Activate Soul Release, to remove five monsters from your grave!" Shrieking, the foggy ghosts of Mystic Tomato, Marie the Fallen One, Snipe Hunter, Newdoria, and Sangan faded away, and the necromancer staggered to 1800. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack - Burst Stream of Destruction!"

"I... activate trap card, Hate Buster!" The white blast met its mark, but the victim shredded into a vile, lingering purple cloud. "This trap... destroys the attacked fiend and the attacking monster, then deals damage to the opponent equal to the attacker's original strength!"

"Seto, no!" Mokuba watched in horror as the cloud descended upon the dragon, strangling it and lunging for Marik.

"Activate trap, Energy-Absorbing Monolith!" A great ebony slab intercepted the fog, emanating a soothing glow instead. "This trap negates the damage, instead adding that amount to my life points!" With his score at 3100, he breathed easier.

"Again, you can only save yourself! Just as it always-" but Kaiba staggered, "...no, it wasn't." Looking into Marik's eyes, he whispered, "You can save him again, can't you?"

Nodding firmly, Marik declared, "Go, Premature Burial! By paying 800 of these life points, Blue-Eyes White Dragon revives!" Finally, the silver dragon burst from the earth.

"The Blue-Eyes turns its strength to you... and you to him..."

"And back again. I draw another card, setting it and ending my turn." _Rope of Life is a good draw - it will let Blue-Eyes return from another attack, but he'll be stronger, and I can draw again. But perhaps Kaiba won't attack again..._

"I... why can't I remember that sort of connection? I had it before, I know it!"

"That's it, Seto! Remember your Blue-Eyes and our past!"

"Blue-Eyes... He's my ace card, not these false gods!" Standing tall, he declared, "I won't give up myself to someone else's demons! I make my own choice!"

"Seto... You did it..."

"At last, you remembered!"

"But we're not done yet, Marik. You understand, I can't surrender this duel any more than I can destroy my dragon."

"Of course... but we'll find a way through this."

"Right. Then it's my draw!" They all breathed easier as Kaiba picked his new card. The sight of it made him choke and nearly collapse. "No... not you... you can't be here!"

"But I am, Kaiba. The struggle to shape your past into a new image, to the design of your victory, the victory that was never yours. For this, to summon your new champions, you put forth all your cunning and strength - and now your victory can be complete."

"But not like that! It's my choice now..."

"You know the power of that dragon cannot be contained except by the strongest of monsters. You hold it. Only summon it and you are untouchable, unstoppable..."

"I... I choose to..."

"You have no choice." With a groan and a final gash of shadow from the seal, he declared, "I activate the spell card, Fiend Sanctuary!" Another metal token appeared on the field. "Also, I prepare the ability of Double Coston, which can be treated as two tributes when sacrificed for the summon of a dark-attribute monster."

"But that means three tributes... Kaiba!"

His eyes blocked by darkness, the duelist called, "I sacrifice all my monsters to summon my ultimate demon!" The creatures were engulfed in a dark flame that shot to the sky, shadowing around one point.

_This is the demon that has been tormenting Kaiba all this time, forcing him to play dark copies of Slifer and Obelisk. And now, he has summoned the third, the most powerful... Ra!_

The dark sky opened, and the thing descended, eluding the eye until it was already hanging above their heads. Suspended, taunting them - a sphere of pure black, mute and without mark. Marik hoped that this was all there was to it, but he knew he was wrong.

"This is my champion," intoned the unseeing duelist, in the voice that was his and not his. "The Wicked Avatar!"

"That looks like Ra's sphere," Mokuba whispered. "What happens when it opens?"

But the sphere's edges already blurred and swam, then all at once grew a head and neck, wings, claws and feet.

"Blue-Eyes?" It was a mirror image of the silvery dragon, but shaped of the subtle dark material, the seal blazing upon the newly-sculpted brow.

"This is the Avatar's first power: it takes the form of the monster with the highest attack on the field!"

"But can it match that power?"

"It surpasses it. The Avatar's attack and defense are both 100 higher than the total attack of the copied monster!" The demon shrieked its new power, and the sound made Marik shrink back.

But it was more than sound. "What the... my arm! Another dark pressure?"

"The other ability - when the Avatar is summoned, the opponent is forbidden from activating any spell or trap cards until the end of his second turn after the summon!"

"That leaves only monsters, but if none can surpass the Avatar's strength..."

The dark creature crowed mightily, bearing the infernal voice. "Now witness my new strength. Disappear, Blue-Eyes!" The white blast could not repel the dark one launched from the demon's throat. With a cry, Blue-Eyes shattered, and Marik was left at 2200 to his enemy's 2800. Retracting into his orb triumphantly, the voice whispered, "The dragon is dead, and your friend is beyond help. Turn end."

Mokuba slumped on his feet, "With no spells or traps, how can anyone oppose the third wicked god?"

"Don't be foolish, Mokuba." Marik's sharp words broke the awe, leaving a new tension. "That thing is no god. He's a ghost that hides behind darkness and hostages because he can't handle his enemies face to face."

"You dare..."

"I dare because I have also walked dark paths. I was lost, but my brother, sister and pharaoh brought me out of mourning and into hope. This is the power of human bonds, something you don't understand."

"I killed your bond."

"Only as you see it. We know better. My draw! I set one monster and end my turn."

"One monster is all that is needed to break your defense. Draw!" Surging back into Kaiba, the darkness drew and declared, "I summon Archfiend Soldier, renewing my strength!" The horned devil stood aggressively, but as the shadow filled the orb once more, it shaped itself into a copy larger and more terrible than its subject, cloak flying wildly, landing to the ground in front. "The seal raises my soldier to 2400, and I am raised to 2500! But the pleasure of teaching you respect is to be mine. Soldier, clear the way!" The dark fist easily reduced the monster to a cloud of shards. "You have no protection left. Admit my power is supreme and I will spare you this turn. Otherwise, you will die."

"Wrong. Look closer and you'll see why." The cloud had not dispersed, and as the demon looked closer, a small brown animal looked back at him.

"What is-"

"Desertapir, humble the Avatar!" Lifting its snouted face, the creature blew a spiraling sandstorm across the enemy. Choking and groaning, the demon fell to his knees, and before the storm subsided completely, Kaiba's body jerked into motion, gasping and wheezing.

"What... did you do?"

"Desertapir's effect activates when flipped face-up, allowing him to turn another monster into face-down defense mode. There will be no second attack from you!"

"All right!" Mokuba yelled. "That effect only works from the Avatar's normal summon, so since Avatar is covered, your spells and traps are free again!"

"How dare you... I flip summon Wicked Avatar!" The card and darkness rose to the sky again, descending again as the orb, then the cloaked monstrosity. "End turn."

"Draw. I set one card and end my turn."

The demon snarled, possessing the quiescent Kaiba only long enough to draw a card. "Even despite your spell and trap cards, I can still finish you with one attack."

He lunged for Marik's throat, but Marik replied, "Go, Metal Reflect Slime!" Barring the way appeared a massive pillar sculpted of flowing metal, dwarfing the fiends, topped by a spiked orb. "This trap monster appears on my field with 3000 defense! And since it has no attack power, your effect has can't count it as the strongest. You can't surpass this monster."

"You're mistaken. In my main phase, I activate the spell, Shield Crush, destroying one monster in defense mode!" The metal guardian exploded, leaving Marik to stare down his enemy. "You cannot survive me by parrying my attacks."

"I'm doing more than that, or have you still not noticed?"

"What do you mean?"

"Every turn I survive proves your power over me is less secure. It won't be long until you face an enemy that surpasses you."

"You survive by luck!"

"So you still can't see what I have?"

"What you- you are bluffing. You have nothing."

"If I had nothing, would you feel the need to unseat me by taunts?"

"Turn end," the demon spat.

"All right, Marik! Show this guy what a true duelist is!"

_Mokuba's right. This is the moment to bring out a victory. I don't know how, but I trust the destiny of the cards. Please, deliver the strength that defeats this darkness. Please... _"My draw!" Touching his card, the gate between minds, between worlds, opened wide.

Emerging with a shock above the sun-lit castle, Marik floated down effortlessly into the main chamber, then into the underground mausoleum. His eyes adjusting to the shade, he saw three clusters of torches, one group glowing brighter, more contented than the others. But it was one of those other two groups that drew Marik's gaze and presence.

The stone dragon stood tall and lean, with armor-plate skin formed exactly to the joints and muscles. His lines were crisp, his face of stern tooth and eye. In awe and heartfelt kinship, Marik saw the sword in his chest. Grasping the hilt, he solemnly drew at the blade, and with a great tug, it gave up its hold. Fractures rushed across the statue's surface, then shattered the shell to nothing. In a blaze, the dragon awoke, with hide the deep-burning orange of a clear sunrise and with eyes like the last stars to be hidden in dawn, and the first to challenge sunset.

Putting his hand to the willing face, Marik intoned, "This... You are the protector that knows my heart. Be with me - Socrates!"

The dream had ended; again, Marik stood in multiple shadows with nothing in hand. But visions were never without meaning, and this could be the strength he needed. "Draw card!" And so he was not surprised when he saw the card he somehow knew so well. "Kaiba, this is the true revival of your will! I call upon the Scale of Socrates!"

"What is that?" But the demon could only tremble as the fiery-skinned dragon roared forth from the great illuminated summon.

"Socrates, fuse with my face-down card, Rope of Life!" The trap and dragon vanished into the column of light, and not until it faded could anyone see what remained. It seemed to be a net, but its frame and precise radial form spoke of sculpture and function beyond a physical barrier. "Soul-Catching Web, activate your power: revive and equip to one monster from my graveyard-"

"Not again..."

"-Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Spiraling dizzily, the catcher spun a stream of spirit from the depths of beyond, encouraging it with the energies now flowing from the net to its center. With all the beams of the rainbow, the ghost became true, and the Blue-Eyes roared its return to allies and enemies alike.

Kaiba's prone gaze turned up at the sight of his radiant dragon. Entranced, he stood, but any greeting was drowned out by the demon's eager transfiguration once more into the dark dragon. "So you bare your heart to me once more, though I have already seen its depths."

"You see nothing. In all this, you've never seen what I have against you. Now, with the renewal of Blue-Eyes, Card of Safe Return delivers one more card. I set it face-down. Perhaps now you'll see what's left to catch you. Turn end."

"You openly declare a trap? Oh, a cunning trick, to be sure. Or is this another trap within a trap? We shall see." Surging into the groaning, averse body, the demon drew and declared, "I could attack that dragon again, or perhaps simply destroy it. Ah, but this is best of all! With this one card, I will place your dragon at my feet, and you will-" Screaming in agony, the dark figure was momentarily held to his feet by the stab of white-hot pain through his arm, then left to slump miserably to the ground. The chain of darkness fled back into the dragon, shaking off a lingering whimper, demanding "What... what did you do to me?"

"He... didn't... do that..."

The firm gasp made the demonic copy wheel around in shock. "You?"

"Brother!"

Kaiba did not answer his brother's tearful joy, all his efforts focused on his tormentor. "Did you really... think that you... could ever understand me... or my cards?"

"Silence! You have no say in this!"

"You thought you could take... all the power you wanted... but you didn't realize... that your greed had a price."

"What price?" Then, the realization dawned. "No..."

"Now you see." Marik declared. "It's been five turns since you activated Card of Demise, and you never acknowledged the cost. When the five turns are up, your entire hand is destroyed, leaving you with nothing but your soldier and yourself!"

"Damn you! Damn you both!"

"But the real trap doesn't end there. Go, Zombie's Jewel! The card dropped from your hand was a spell, and when a spell enters the opponent's grave, I can use this trap to add that spell to my hand!"

"What? No, not that one!" But nothing could be done as the spell shot into Marik's outstretched hand.

"Now I hold your conquering spell: Brain Control! Next turn, I can use this card, allowing me to place you under my control."

"You... NEVER!" The final word had such ferocity that all the humans unconsciously lost a step back. "You will not win me. You will not survive this turn. Once I kill the Blue-Eyes, my monster will take your life!" Rearing back, the demon gathered all his power, blasting the hateful deathstroke at his enemy.

"Reveal the final power of Soul-Catching Web!" From Blue-Eyes' heart spun lines of wisp, neither thread not ghost, crisscrossing the entire field. One line met the heart of Archfiend Soldier and remained calm. The one that matched the Avatar's heart ignited upon contact, and Blue-Eyes immediately launched a counterattack. The streams met at the center, there was a great pulse of energy, and with a squeezing constriction of more than the air, both vanished into sparks.

"What... my attack! How did you stop it?"

"My trap grants life in answer to a threat, and in doing so, raises strength to meet the challenge. My web is stronger yet. As long as Blue-Eyes is joined to this web, he matches the strength of any enemy he fights, with 800 points beyond!"

"But... but that will not stop me! My attack points are always superior! Even with his bonus, I will surpass him!" And to Mokuba's horror, he gathered a new attack, raising his strength still higher than before, launching his dark stream.

This time, Blue-Eyes was already forming his repulsion before the attack had fired, and the streams again shattered themselves. There was no sign they had existed, except for Mokuba's nervous gasps and the demon's unbelieving wails.

"No! Though Blue-Eyes rose to 3900, I passed him with 4000!"

"You did not. Blue-Eyes' strength always rises, just as yours does. And your effect is permanent, isn't it?"

"Of course it is! But one of us must have been weaker! Or else we should have killed each other!"

"Neither is true. Although neither of our monsters can be counted as stronger than the other, they are also never equal. In fact, their powers are never determined - that is, when they battle and my trap activates."

The demon realized, "Our attack strength is calculated and adjusted in an endless loop..."

"Exactly. And because no duelist is allowed to initiate an endless chain of effects, our monsters are forbidden from battling each other, and any attempt will be negated!"

"No way..." Mokuba breathed.

"But... this cannot be! Your dragon withstanding me?"

"It has happened, and that means I will be able to place you at the Blue-Eyes' feet on my next turn."

"No... that must never happen! I must overcome you!" Anew, the demon attacked the heart of his enemy, and Blue-Eyes met it readily, eagerly. Spheres of energy, then lines and streams of power - both colossal monsters met again and again. The very earth quaked and cracked with their ferocity, the air tight with swallowing the inevitable dispersion. In desperation, the demon took to the skies, but there was no advantage to be had, as Blue-Eyes matched him, wing for wing. The locked rivals passed five thousand, then seven, ten thousand points and soared higher.

The demon gasped in hate, Blue-Eyes roared in defiance. "This stalemate is still to my advantage. If I am unable to kill your dragon, I will simply take his master."

"What?" yelled Mokuba. "You can't have him!"

"I already do. Once he surrenders, I can retreat with his soul."

"I think we've heard enough from you. I set one card and end my turn."

Thunderstruck, all eyes high and low turned to the figure now standing straight and fierce-eyed as ever. "What... Kaiba? How do you override me?"

Without breaking eye contact, Kaiba tore away and discarded his stone. "You have no say in this duel anymore."

"Your heart is mine! You cannot win this duel without my power!"

_Your control is broken, _thought Marik joyfully, _and in truth, your struggle to control helped show Kaiba his freedom. Blue-Eyes met every attempt to surpass, and every counterattack awakened Kaiba's true dueling heart._

"Not only are you defiant, you have broken the rules, Seto Kaiba. There were no cards in your hand!"

"You fool - you fell into the same mistake."

"Another trap within a trap?"

"Right. Zombie's Jewel has a second effect, allowing the one whose spell was taken to draw one card. I had that card in my hand since the beginning, but you were so distracted that you never saw it."

"Why, you- but still, I will see it now. Your thoughts, so traitorous to me before, they will surrender the secret to me."

"No, Seto! Fight him off! You're free to make your own choices now!"

"It's all right, Mokuba. Your devotion woke me up, and it'll keep this guy out." Indeed, the demon's burning eyes showed vain struggle, and he fairly jumped when Kaiba calmly reminded, "Don't you want to see Marik's move? I'm sure it will be interesting, especially as it's time for his trump strategy to activate."

Wheeling around, the demon asked, "Another trap? What is it this time?"

Not even looking at the card he drew, Marik answered, "It's the thing you never saw. The bonds of companionship, beyond oneself."

"Beyond- enough talk! Declare your trap!"

"It's simple. You think that the trap is in _my_ hands, but it's not."

"Then... then, if the trap is not yours-"

Kaiba was already answering. "Face-down, open - Ring of Destruction! Destroy the Wicked Avatar!" Frantically, the demon begged him to stop, but inescapably, the metal circle clamped around the dark neck, armed with a perimeter of grenades.

"You can still change your mind, Kaiba. You can still win this duel! You are stronger than Marik, and by choosing Archfiend Soldier, only he will fall. You will remain-"

"Don't act naiive. This isn't about me defeating Marik, or him defeating me. Right now, you are the only enemy, and with this move, you are the only one that dies. I make this choice by my own hands!"

"But, Kaiba-"

"Go to hell." The ring's explosives burned vengefully, the demon screamed his pain and despair, and the instant detonation ripped apart the sky and ground with a final cataclysm. Kaiba and Marik alike were buffeted by the backfire, barely keeping their footing as their scores dropped to zero, the seal gave a shudder, and a great emerald light shot from the depths, wiping out the field.

Even before the dust settled, Mokuba and Marik were already rushing to save their companion. But the sky screeched in rage, and the remnants of the darkness swept together to reclaim their stolen prize. "I am not broken, and you are still mine, Kaiba!"

"Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Answering his master's call, the radiant dragon obstructed the path, blasting the regrouping shadows apart with his stream of light.

"Seto!" But Mokuba could not embrace his brother, instead passing through him like smoke.

"Mokuba... thank you for reminding me of what is important. But I'm not free: this demon's curse prevents me from regaining my body. To leave, I'll need someone to guard me." Marik nodded firmly at Kaiba's expectant look. Overhead, Blue-Eyes left Socrates to the defense of the humans, dissolving into the glowing shower that was his master's soul.

"Seto!"

"Keep both of us safe, Marik."

Socrates delivered the final blast at the darkness' heart. The shadow dodged and fell away into nothingness, pausing only to scoop up the fallen stone. As the sky broke through the clouds, the ancient dragon withdrew to the same card that had accepted Kaiba. Marik's reverie was broken by Mokuba's grateful words. "Thank you, Marik! Protecting Blue-Eyes and waking up my brother... Your dueling was almost as good as his! And that dragon... It's too bad we don't have-" Socrates' card had started glowing, freeing a second card even as Marik held it.

"What is this?"

"That's... if that's here, then you really must be protecting Seto's soul."

"Then this-"

"...is the dragon of Seto's heart - Critias!"

Reverently beholding the cards, both looked up sharply as the sky opened and a braided spiral of shadow shot out and towards the sea. The cards in Marik's hands immediately pulsed, tugging towards the shadow's wake. "You don't think..." Neither able to complete the thought, both dashed off to learn what threat had now sprouted from the darkness.


	4. Shared Past, Lone Voice

Yugi couldn't see a thing, and the pressure in his ears and heart felt that it would surely crush him. But Anzu's hands gripped his tightly, and their combined will towed them through the journey. They had arrived, and he opened his eyes, taking in the impenetrable dark fog around them. With no landmarks or terrain to see, Anzu could not tell that they had arrived anywhere at all. But Yugi purposefully strode off, so she followed closely.

"Is... is mou hitori no Yugi here?"

Like one who scents a familiar trace, Yugi answered, "Yes. He is near. But he's hidden."

"Hidden? By what?"

But Yugi had already stopped, focused on a spot in the mist ahead. As Anzu looked harder, the shadow deepened and a figure strode out to face them, clothed in black with a darker gaze.

"M- mou hitori no Yugi?"

There was no answer, no recognition, no reaction. Only Yugi took a few uneasy steps forward, "Mou hitori no boku..." Hoping to sound more sure, he continued, "We've come to help you. To bring you back."

Anzu ran to her glaring friend, reaching out a hand, "It's all right, now that you're safe-" The dark pulse threw her back, landing painfully, but not as painfully as the tears welling from her shocked eyes. "What- Yugi...?"

"Mou hitori no boku - what was that for?"

"Get away from me."

"But... but we have to get you away from this shadow..."

"Waste of effort." He turned to leave.

"Mou hitori no boku, I won't forgive this anger!"

Both Anzu and the other Yugi were surprised at the outburst. Committed, Yugi continued, "Something's obscuring your heart, making you hide from us, and I won't let you stand it alone! I'll stand with you, just as we always have!"

"As we have?" Ponderous, the other Yugi replied by raising his hand, conjuring the disk of black carved stone, gleaming like crystal. "This is what we have."

Horrified, Anzu protested, "Don't fight him, Yugi! Please, you have to wake up!"

Neither of them replied, and only Yugi was touched by her words. "Mou hitori no boku... can't you remember our connection? Our duels... you defeating the- the darkness within you." _Maybe I was wrong... maybe he doesn't have that in his deck..._

"You cannot connect to my heart. You will suffer for it."

"I won't let you go! We have to unlock your past, together!"

"I am already free of your heart."

"This isn't it! We promised to-" but a wave of the other Yugi's arm propelled them several yards away from each other. Viciously, he activated his disk and drew five cards, eyes burning with malice.

Weakly, Anzu gasped, "No... please don't- please, wake up!"

"Anzu... there's no other way. I have to reach mou hitori no boku's heart. It has to be me, in this."

"But... I can't..." Choking, she turned to hide her tears as her two dearest companions stood opposed, preparing to strike.

"Duel!"

The shadows swirled around his feet as the other Yugi drew. "Set one monster and one card. End turn."

"My turn - draw." _Excellent - Black Luster Soldier and his ritual! But I only have one other monster. Still, I have to end this if I can, before... _"I summon Beta the Magnet Warrior in attack mode! Attack his monster!" The robot flung itself headlong at its hidden target, magnetic horseshoe fist outstretched.

The dull crunching impact flung it back roughly, and the hidden card conjured itself: a robed man surrounded by bookshelves. The other Yugi intoned, "Royal Magical Library has 2000 defense, dealing 300 points of damage."

Surprised, Anzu whispered, "A new card? What did that shadow do to mou hitori no Yugi?"

Recovering, Yugi finished, "Set one card. End turn."

"Draw. Set one card. Activate spell, Card Destruction!"

"What?"

"Yugi, do you remember our duel? How this card divorced our fates?"

"I do remember... but our fates are still joined, mou hitori no boku. Look!" Turning his hand, Yugi showed his own Card Destruction, clearly visible below Polymerization. "You still have traces of your old self, don't you?"

Discarding his hand and drawing replacements, the other Yugi said, "You do not know how to command strength. I will show you true power."

_Not already! When I played Card Destruction against you-_ but something was happening to the enemy spellcaster. A sphere with a triangular emblem had appeared in the air around it. "That's..."

"Each player's spell adds a Spell Counter to this card, up to three. Activate face-down card, Pitch-Black Power Stone. This permanent trap bears three Spell Counters, which I can move to other cards. I move two Spell Counters to my library, then use its effect to remove three counters and draw one card." Selecting a different card, he added, "Summon Blast Magician."

The sight of the red-orange wizard confused Anzu. "Only 1400 attack? What's he doing?"

"Activate face-down spell, Giant Trunade, to return all spells and traps to the owner's hand."

_Clever,_ thought Yugi. _Now he can play his trap again and get three more counters... plus his Blast Magician also gained a Spell Counter!_

"Next, activate Gather Your Mind, moving another Gather Your Mind from my deck to my hand, totaling two counters on each of my monsters. But I have one more spell to play, Yugi."

"Mou hitori no boku, please - you have to remember! You are already forgiven, don't go back to-"

"I activate the Seal of Orichalcos!" Neither protesting cry slowed his hand from pressing the dreadful card to his disk, the green perimeter and hexagram emerging around his feet, then sweeping out to swallow them both within its grip. Helpless, Yugi and Anzu gasped at the shadowy wrath billowing around the other Yugi, the green stone appearing around his neck. The anger in his voice, less strained but equally menacing, proclaimed "Monsters, accept the power of the seal!" They rose to 1900 and 500, but the red magician prepared his scythe-like wand to strike. "I remove three counters from Blast Magician, letting him destroy one monster with 700 points or less for each counter removed."

"A potential of 2100 points destroyed?"

The three orbs ignited into a dark current, launched like a bomb at Beta's heart. The shriek hit Yugi's ears at the same time that his mind tore open and poured out-

He ran towards the school's equipment room, praying his worst fears about the other man were wrong. He threw open the door, searching desperately through the dark - _no, please no_. The man, his lecherous video camera only whetted, was already reaching to grab at Anzu's shirt. _You bastard! _He ran forward to fight him off, but the arm was too strong, he couldn't push past, and he was thrown back, his head colliding dully with a wall, and he slumped to the ground. _It can't end like this... Anzu..._ it all was going dark, Anzu trying to fight back, he couldn't...

Yugi gasped awake, one nightmare to another. The seal, the sneering magician... "Wh- what happened? What's wrong with my head?"

"You were foolish to put yourself into a darkness game against me."

"This... a darkness game?"

"You lack the strength to oppose the Orichalcos. The shadow realm will expose that weakness. In this duel, every monster I destroy releases a fearful memory from your mind."

Beside herself, Anzu cried, "Stop this! Mou hitori no Yugi, please stop this!"

"This is the penalty game. Darkness follows me, and you would not leave me alone. So my darkness feeds the fears you already hold."

"Yugi, are you all right?"

He staggered, clutching his still-aching head. _I can't let Anzu be reminded of that memory. I have to be strong, for both of them._

"Blast Magician, attack directly!" With a slash of his wand, the dark bolt shot across the field to his shaking target. Suddenly, the air before Yugi was filled with brown clouds, cooing as they multiplied, then exploding as the bolt diffused amongst them.

The smoke cleared, and Yugi explained, "I discard Kuriboh to reduce the damage to zero."

"In my second main phase, I remove the counters from my library to draw a card. Then, I set three cards and activate Card of Sanctity. Both players draw until we hold six cards. End turn."

"My turn. Draw." _I don't want the make the darkness worse for mou hitori no boku, but he can't be free if I'm not willing to put forth my best duel! _"I exclude Beta from my graveyard, allowing me to summon The Rock Spirit! Next, I sacrifice my monster to play Summoned Skull!" The sculpted warrior had no sooner appeared than his energy converted to the towering muscle-bound skeleton. "Attack his Blast Magician!" The fiend's lightning shattered the sorcerer, making the score 3400 to 3700. But more pressing to Yugi was the shadow that covered his companion's eyes, the same shade as their surroundings. It lasted only seconds, though it must have seemed longer, before the other Yugi reawakened, more resentful than before. _He won't forgive an attack like that. But at least I still have Mirror Force from earlier._ "I set two cards and activate Swords of Revealing Light! Turn end," he finished, as the glowing crosses obstructed his opponent.

"You cannot seal my anger! Draw. Activate face-down, Triangle Ecstasy Spark. This spell prevents you from activating any traps for the rest of this turn. It also lets me draw a new card from my library." He did not scoff at the new card, but clearly something was still wanting. "I activate my other face-downs, Gather Your Mind, adding the last copy to my hand, and Pitch-Black Power Stone, adding two more counters to my library. I remove these three counters to draw one card." This was more to his liking. "I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior!"

The crimson swordsman made Anzu shiver as he appeared before the library. "That card..."

"What about it, Anzu?"

"That's what he used when Timaeus left him. His anger..."

"When Breaker is normal summoned, he receives one spell counter, gaining 300 attack for it." The seal's rage brought the total to 2400. "I remove this counter, allowing him to destroy one spell or trap. Breaker, destroy Swords of Revealing Light!" The unrestrained sword easily shattered the bars of light, leaving Yugi's monster defenseless. "I set three cards and activate the equip spell, Mage Power!"

"No!"

"This spell adds 500 attack and defense to Breaker for each spell and trap I control. With the seal, I have six cards, bringing my monster to 5100 attack! Breaker, destroy Summoned Skull!" The swordsman burned with all the shadowy rage of his surroundings, leaping high and crushing his blade through Summoned Skull's flesh. The fiend screamed once before exploding in a final crash, and the chaotic wake rushed over Yugi, numbing all his senses once more, ripping open his mind.

His other self was dueling Rafael, but inescapably losing. With all his heart and mind, he begged his other self to not use the evil card, but the hand was torn out of his restraining grip, freely choosing to activate the Seal. The rush of power forced him away into void, and he could only watch helplessly as his other self shredded his tainted monsters into weapons against the enemy. But it would not be enough, and all at once, Rafael conjured the monster that absorbed the souls of all the abandoned monsters, turning his other self's betrayal into a blinding concussion of energy. The futile yell bursting from his own throat only matched that of his other self, as the few remaining monsters were obliterated and Eatos' deathblow shattered the one who dared to play that hateful seal...

He was back. The vision was over and yet not over, as he tried to keep eye contact with his other self, marked with that seal, after all they had done to cast it out. _No, it... it was just a mistake. I must not lose faith in him! I won't!_ But with only 1100 life points left, there was not much to support him.

"In my second main phase, I move the last Spell Counter from my trap onto Breaker, allowing him to destroy another of your cards." The black stone burst as it gave its last counter, but the explosion was dwarfed by the brutal stabbing of his other self's prized Mirror Force. "Turn end."

"My turn." _I must break his anger and reach his heart. I bet both our lives on this card!_ "Draw! I summon Skilled Dark Magician in attack mode!"

"That..."

"This card is the key to your most loyal monster, mou hitori no boku!"

"But you need three spells to summon him, and your hand is nearly empty. You're already running out of strength."

"I'm going to remind you that that was never the case."

"What?"

"We always lived together. I know lately our goal has been for you to be free of my heart... but that hasn't happened yet! I'm going to remind you that we're still together, that we still share our hearts, by uniting our dueling strategies! Activate trap, Collected Power!" A stream of white fire joined the weapons of the cloaked wizard and the magical swordsman, and Yugi declared, "This trap transfers all equip spells to one monster I choose. I arm Skilled Dark Magician with Mage Power! Now attack Breaker!" With its newfound 4400 attack, the wizard cast a stream of dark energy at his foe's heart.

"Activate trap, Jar of Greed, and I have a second copy as well. Each one lets me draw one card, which then weakens that spell by 500." The blast, only somewhat reduced, took his life to 2100. Once his eyes cleared of the shadow, his contempt deepened. "You won't set us equal with one attack."

"We'll see. I set one card. End turn."

"Draw. I activate Graceful Charity, allowing me to-"

"Activate trap, Mystical Refpanel, absorbing your spell!" The fairy's mirror glowed softly, coaxing the angelic spell to Yugi's deck. "Now I am allowed to draw three cards, then discard two."

"You won't keep me from mustering my power. Activate face-down, Magical Mallet, letting me move as many cards as I want from my hand into my deck, then draw replacements." Most of his cards exchanged, he declared, "I remove three more counters from my library to draw another card."

_But your spells are adding counters to my monster also. Just one more and I can awaken your heart!_

"Your monster is about to die. I sacrifice Royal Magical Library to summon Magical Marionette!" The new monster, cloaked in red, held the strings to a mechanical minion ready to strike, rising by the seal to 2500. "I also add the spell, Heavy Storm!" The great wind wiped out the magical fire fueling the sorcerer, leaving him stumbling back to 1900 attack. But magical blades appeared in the marionette's hands as the tempest subsided.

"What happened to your monster?"

"Every spell also adds a Spell Counter to my marionette, with an extra 200 attack for each counter! I also add the continuous spell, Spell Absorption. From now on, my life increases by 500 immediately after every spell resolves. But this turn will be enough to break your soul."

_At the moment, the attack would take me down to 100 life..._ "Another spell?"

"Magical Marionette's second ability lets me remove two Spell Counters from it to destroy one monster on the field! Destroy the Skilled Dark Magician!" The blades hit the wizard's chest in one sharp instant, bursting him with a cry-

The setting sun burned in Yugi's eyes, but the maniacal laughter declared that danger was nearer at hand. Jonouchi was still beyond help, his words had no effect except to incite his rage again. But his other self had been forced to undergo such pain at Jonouchi's hands, he couldn't just stand by and watch- already, Jonouchi declared his spell, the same one! The searing fireball scorched down from the sky, and desperately, he braced himself. The pain, he screamed from the pain, it ripped him apart as though a hole had been chopped into his chest, the fire poured across every limb, he slumped forward. The pain... if only it would stop... but Jonouchi's voice was worse yet... knowing that Jonouchi was still lost to him...

Anzu's desperate cry snapped his eyes open, he had fallen to the ground, but the marionette was already leaping in for the kill! "Monster ability, activate!" Inches from him, the daggers seized upon a barrier of electricity, and for an instant Yugi was sure they had already pierced him. But finally, the sorcerer was thrown back, landing with bad grace at its starting point.

"That was..."

"I excluded Electromagnetic Turtle from my graveyard, allowing me to end your battle phase instantly."

"A card discarded by Graceful Charity... End turn."

Yugi pushed himself to his feet, trying to ease Anzu's wracked sobs. Already, her knees threatened to give out from under her, and her voice was gone from swallowing tears and forcing herself to breathe. With all the calm he could gather, he called out, "This isn't over yet. You remember our cards, our dueling, and your heart is there also!"

"Shut up! My heart is beyond help!"

"It isn't, and our connection will bring it out! Draw! I set one monster and one card. End turn."

"Draw! I summon Gemini Elf in attack mode! Attack his face-down monster!" The twin witches blasted a fierce combination of spells, but the explosive impact stopped short. From the smoking target site appeared an elf-eared medieval swordsman, standing strong.

"Obnoxious Celtic Guard's special ability - he can't be destroyed by attacks from monsters with 1900 or more attack, and your elves have 2400!"

"I suspected as much. But my battle is not done - activate quick-play spell, Magical Dimension! I must have a spellcaster on my field to use this, and I sacrifice Gemini Elf for its effect!"

"An instant spell... this is your utmost strength. But I'll meet it. Activate Living Arrow!"

"What? Living Arrow?"

"This is the card that let us overturn the trump strategies of Kaiba and Pegasus. But it also helped me protect you when Marik hunted you. Now it will protect you again!"

"Yugi... you..."

"This is my trump card! Living Arrow, fuse with Magical Dimension and carry its power to me!" The golden arrow shot into the center of the opposite spell, then a shaft of light shone back to its master. "Now, Magical Dimension allows me to special summon one spellcaster from my hand!"

"It can't be..."

"Go, Dark Magician!" In a shower of light, the purple-robed sorcerer leaped to the field, his clear eyes set upon his far companion, his magical staff held at the ready. "The second ability of Magical Dimension destroys one monster on the field. Be gone, Magical Marionette!" Dark Magician swung his staff to the heart of his foe, bursting it in an instant, standing triumphant.

Anzu, lost in awe, whispered, "Yugi..."

The shadow faded from the other Yugi's eyes, but this time, he emerged completely shaken. Looking from his trembling palms to his former champion, his mouth opened and closed weakly. "Dark... Magician..." Looking away, he managed, "My- my life rises by Spell Absorption to 3100. I set one card. Turn end."

"Draw. Go, equip spell - Book of Secret Arts, raising Dark Magician to 2800 attack!"

"But it raises my life points by 500," the other Yugi answered, his life rising to 3600. "Why bother to activate it, for only 300 points?"

"It doesn't matter if I'm at a disadvantage. Only my strongest heart will awaken you. Dark Magician, go - Dark Magic Attack!" Raising his staff on high, the sorcerer swung it in a great sweep at his friend. The dark explosion of power brought a yell to the other Yugi's throat, extinguished almost as quickly as it had come. Only his face held the staggered shock. _Destroying monsters only deepens the damage to mou hitori no boku's heart, but perhaps that was able to awaken him._ "Turn end."

"How... how has it come to this? I draw. Activate face-down card, Call of the Haunted. I revive Magical Marionette."

Before the restored spellcaster, Yugi wondered, _Why didn't he use that to protect his life points? Unless..._

"I sacrifice my monster to summon Cybernetic Magician in attack mode!" The new sorcerer, though clad in white, scowled at his enemy, seal blazing on his brow.

"2900 attack? No!"

"And he will distance himself further from the Dark Magician. I... I activate his ability, discarding one card to turn the original attack of one monster to 2000!" Shrouded in the spell, Dark Magician clutched his chest as his total strength ebbed to 2300. "Cybernetic Magician, att- attack!" Using his wand as a dagger, the usurper struck Dark Magician through the heart.

In a bestial voice, Kaiba ordered Yugi to take his head with his cards. Blue-Eyes, rotted by the undead mammoth at its heart, hung above death by a single head. If Yugi attacked... to save his brother, Kaiba would die! But then Grandpa... His other self had already made the choice - he gave the order! Celtic Guardian struck for the enemy, everything blurred together, Kaiba beyond tears, Blue-Eyes matched only by the fire of his other self, Anzu screaming for Yugi to stop, to not kill him, please switch to the other Yugi! With all his heart, Yugi forced his other self back, dropping to his hands and knees in surrender. He couldn't do this, anything but this... Somewhere far away, a dragon roared its vengeance on some meaningless target. But everything had already ended... his only hope of saving Grandpa was gone, Kaiba had nearly died by his own hands, Yugi had nothing left...

Gasping, his head swimming and reeling, Yugi pulled himself upright again. "I won't give up... Our hearts will not fall..."

Were those tears at the corner of his other self's eyes? "End turn."

"Draw." _All I have is my Obnoxious Celtic Guard. If I lose him..._ "End turn."

"Draw." The other Yugi swallowed several times, hypnotized by Yugi's deep scarred breaths. "I... Yugi..."

"Mou hitori no... boku..."

Shutting his eyes in pain, the other Yugi declared, "I activate the spell, Change of Heart!" Magical wings, one fair and one foul, sprouted from Celtic Guard's shoulders. Without a backwards glance, the warrior sailed to the far side of the field. Turning to face his former master, his eyes and brow burned with his new heart. Yugi could only keep his eyes forward; there was nothing left to say.

"What... stop looking like that! There's nothing else I can do! Yugi, I... I..." Screaming away the tears, the other Yugi yelled, "Celtic Guard, attack!"

"No, Yugi!" Anzu begged. "Please, don't do this!" The sword was already swinging out of its sheath, running forward. "Don't hurt your partner!" Celtic Guard leapt high to deliver the fatal attack, a slice from the shoulder down through the heart. "Go back to the way you were!"

"AIIIBOOOUUUU!"

The sword stopped a hair from Yugi's skin, suspended as if the monster had turned to stone. The other Yugi had fallen to his knees, clutching his head and sobbing for breath.

"Mou hitori no boku!"

"Aibou..." The seal on his brow gave a dark pulse, and Cybernetic Magician took a step forwards. Too late, Anzu gasped, but the other Yugi acted without thinking. "Set one card. Turn end."

All at once, the seal faded from Celtic Guard's brow, and he lifted his sword away. "Mou hitori no boku, you ended the battle phase yourself!"

"Aibou... I remember everything..."

Nodding grimly, Yugi answered, "The pain you saw... It was our shared past, wasn't it. You don't have to talk about it now. All that matters is that we remember each other."

"Aibou - thank you for teaching compassion to my heart."

Blinking back tears, Yugi answered, "You taught strength to me."

Standing straight again, his friend declared, "This is the moment! Strike the rage out of my heart!"

"Right. My turn!" Closing his eyes and reaching with all his heart, he drew. "I sacrifice Obnoxious Celtic Guard! Go, Dark Magician Girl!" From the light leapt the joyous magician, all her soul gathered for her friends. "Dark Magician Girl's ability gives her 300 attack from the Dark Magician in my grave. I also play the equip spell, Magic Formula, increasing her attack by a further 700!" Her staff blazing with the gift of her teacher and companion, she also accepted the sacred book, glowing through all of her.

"3000 attack..."

"Now, Dark Magician Girl! Attack Cybernetic Magician - Dark Burning!" The bolt of energy shot through the center of the enemy, wiping him out with a yell.

The other Yugi tensed up, but this time, his eyes remained unblocked by the darkness, and presently he found his companion's gaze again. "Thank you... but our spells put my life points at 1700. It is not over yet."

"I know. We will continue, mou hitori no boku. End turn."

"I draw. But I must not oppose Dark Magician Girl. I should... I..." He could not resist the turning of the card's face towards his eyes. His gasp shook Yugi's heart, but before anyone could respond, his hand lanced out towards his disk. All his efforts to pull back his hand could not stop the spell from being activated.

"No! Raigeki?" But the shadow overhead was already surging with the gathering energy. Suddenly, the lightning bolt lanced down, striking Dark Magican Girl, smiting all of Yugi's field, she had time only for one yell of pain before the explosion tore her apart.

In horror, Yugi watched as Bandit Keith clutched his own head, begging for the unseen tormentor to release his mind. But all at once it was over, Keith's eyes burning with seeming madness, back under magical control. In a frenzy, the cloaked victim dashed to Yugi's side of the dueling platform, seizing the chained Puzzle, the hostage. He lifted it to the limit of the chain, vowing to crush the pharaoh's soul - Yugi begged him to stop - with a fatal blow, he drove the puzzle into the wall, shattering every piece apart, and Yugi's heart exploded in agony at seeing his dearest friend killed...

Yugi broke from his nightmare, immediately seeing his other self, shuddering for his newest crime. "Mou hitori no boku, please listen to me!"

"What have I done... what have I done? Dark Magician Girl..."

"Mou hitori no boku, it will be all right!" Even as he spoke, a white soothing glow surrounded him, and his life rose to 1500.

"Aibou... what is this?"

"Magic Formula's second ability - when it is sent to the grave, my life points increase by 1000."

"But I am at 2200 now. It is only becoming more difficult to kill my darkness."

"I don't want to kill you. I only want you to stay with me."

"I... I will try. Turn end."

"Draw." Setting his gaze at the new card, Yugi said. "I set one card. Turn end."

"M... my turn. There must be a way that we both can be safe."

"But you already know no such way exists." The new voice made everyone tremble and shrink away. "This deck lives only to defeat opponents, not save them. Someone as well-versed in the art of penalty games as you already knows this."

"Shut up! Be gone!"

"I will handle this duel from here." And despite Yugi and Anzu's cries, the shadows swept up around the other Yugi's body, blocking his eyes completely. The darkness drew the card, declaring, "Activate Pot of Greed, letting me draw two more cards. Next, I activate Monster Reborn, reviving one monster." Horrified, Yugi saw his own disk respond, and the dark stream shot to the opponent's field, shaping itself finally into Dark Magician, unable to fight away the cursed seal's magic.

"Not him... not this..."

"Now for the fitting attack to finish you off, Yugi." Anzu and Yugi trembled, but the dark form instead lifted the other card in his hand. "I sacrifice Dark Magician to summon my new monster!" The shadows burned across his surface, shrouding him completely, but they were already forming a new shape, clearing away from the form beneath. A dark sorcerer still stood, but his cloak had thickened into an armored tunic and cape. His skin was ashen gray, and his staff curved wickedly into a radial-barbed trident. The seal now burned openly on its brow and eyes, and the dark voice spoke from its mouth. "This is your destruction, Yugi - Dark Eradicator Warlock!"

"A corrupted Dark Magician?"

"I am simply an embodiment of the guilt and resentment that lays at the heart of your other self."

"Mou hitori no boku has already surpassed the darkness inside him!"

"Naiive words mean nothing. No one is pure. That is why I am here - to reveal the darkness that lies at all hearts, even the hearts that humans hold up as paragons of virtue."

"But a heart doesn't have to be pure to stand up to the darkness!"

"You are in no position to talk of strength. My power is already at 3000; you cannot withstand my attack." Raising his staff high, he mustered a dark sphere of power, launching the energy, a screeching beam of lightning. "Disappear, Yugi!"

"Activate trap, Magic Cylinder, negating your attack and returning it against your life!" The twin tubes appeared from thin air, one swallowing the attack, the other spitting it back at the demon sorcerer.

"Activate counter trap, Damage Polarizer, negating the damage from any card effect!" The bolt collided with an invisible barrier, dispersing to sparks. "After the negation, both players draw one card." With all his devotion, Yugi drew, but the laugh from the dark entity called his attention. His other form, controlled by the dark tether to the sorcerer, was already playing the next card. "I activate the spell, Magical Blast! When I control a spellcaster, this spell deals 200 damage to you for each spellcaster I control."

"I will withstand 200 damage for mou hitori no boku."

"The threat is greater than that, because I have an ability also. Whenever either player activates a normal spell, I deal 1000 points of damage to you!"

"What? 1200 points!" But the dark scepter was already burning with the combined glow of the spell and the dark caster. Falling like a death scythe, the beam roared like thunder and smote Yugi straight in the heart. The pain ripped through his entire body, his scream barely audible over the explosion and Anzu's anguished cries.

Hissing crisply, the smoke cleared, and the demon called out, "300 to 3700. If you want to end your suffering, you have only to say the word."

"Never..." Shaken, bruised, burned, Yugi fought to stand straight, his will set. "For mou hitori no boku, for all you would torture, I will not give up."

"You can help no one. Look at yourself, and tell me what you have that can oppose me."

"Mou hitori no boku, hear me! I have the weapon of our hearts in my hand!"

"What is this?"

"Look, and see what we drew when you supported my soul in the game of darkness!"

Slow but sure, the other Yugi lifted his gaze to the outstretched card. Something dawned deep within him. "Black... Magic... Ritual?"

"Yes. By your strength, this card protected many souls. Now, it's time for me to protect you."

"Your hope is misguided."

"I'm not afraid of you!" But the demon only laughed.

"Aibou!" The other Yugi nearly fell over forcing out the words.

"Silence. Nothing can help him against me."

Pulling at the restraining shadows, he yelled, "Magical Blast... it has a second effect! During the- the draw phase, he can skip his normal draw to... return Magical Blast to his hand!" Exhausted, the shadows caught his throat, finally closing his mouth, rendering him more comatose than before.

Shocked at the secret, Anzu managed, "But... but if that card comes back..."

_He wants to seal my defenses. If I defend with a monster, he'll use his spell, and if I seal his spell, he'll attack me directly._

"Yugi... can you still find a way?"

"The deck will answer that, Anzu. These cards hold mou hitori no boku's heart and my own. This guy won't stop us."

The steel in his eyes and voice cast aside all doubt in her mind, and she stood strong against the shadow as he did. Laughing at them, the darkness concluded, "So be it. I end my turn. Show me your impossible hope."

_Please, mou hitori no boku, lend me your strength. Show me the way._ "My turn!" Warm to his touch, the next card opened his mind into the hidden world.

Flying from the gate, he descended towards the bright castle, gasping at the vision he recognized so well. Soaring through the entry chamber, the sight of the three empty platforms both soothed and tensed his heart. A great strength had been freed in this castle, and the answer to his hopes still remained, but it was not the strength from before. As though in answer, he was guided down the chasm, into the mausoleum. Two areas were vacant and glowing easily, one lay more dormant, and it was this that he approached.

Awaiting him was the great stone dragon, lean and supple, no larger than needed, yet powerfully built. His limbs would bear friends and mountains with equal willingness. Seeing the sword confirmed Yugi's connection to the dragon, and he grasped it with all he had. Deeply he drew at it, every inch of motion an honest gift, and all at once, it was gone from its hold. The stone trembled, splintered, then erased into the form of light within. Strong and whole, the dragon greeted its companion, its hide carved as of silver metal, voice like a storm on the north wind.

"I recognize you, as you know me." Yugi said, extending his hand. "Let me join to you - Aesop!" Dragon and human met, releasing the light within both.

His former view restored, Yugi knew he had what he needed. "Draw card!" In his hand glowed the dragon card, ready to fulfill its connection. "This is the end of the darkness! I set Black Magic Ritual to the field, and I call upon the Heart of Aesop!"

"No - not that!" The light bursting from the raised card blinded all until the new shape emerged. All gasped in awe at the silver-hide dragon soaring from the gateway.

"Aesop, fuse with my face-down spell! Bring forth a new power!" From the card emerged two incense burners around a rune-bordered hexagram. Settling at the center, Aesop and the spell were engulfed in light, clearing by degrees to reveal a new dragon. Its face, wings and claws were tattooed by runes and scars, its growl now feral and merciless. "Realm of Chaos Dragon!"

"That dragon has 2300 attack. It is not enough."

"The true power of my deck's black magic is the power to activate new spells, and my dragon restores this power! When he's summoned, he moves one spell from my grave to my hand for each card on your field!"

"What?"

"You have three cards, so I gain three spells!"

As Yugi took his new cards, the demon spat, "You still cannot beat me. You never had the destructive powers I had."

"I don't need destruction to win. My first spell: Living Arrow! Bind to Spell Absorption!" The golden arrow collided with the spell at the moment the other began to glow. "Your spell doesn't resolve until after mine, so for the rest of this turn, I'm able to redirect the effect. Now, the 500 life points are added to my score!" Smiling at the demon's scowl, he continued, "That puts me at 800 life, and since I'm not using normal spells, you can't hurt me."

"And you still have two more spells!" Anzu added.

"I have more than that!"

"What? You hold two cards!" the demon declared.

"Wrong. You only see two cards, but one is a spell you never saw me use." Holding it high, he called, "Restore our heart! I activate the quick-play spell, De-Fusion!"

"What is this?"

"This spell can separate two fused cards. I divide my dragon back into Dark Magic Ritual and Heart of Aesop!" In a flash, the dragon and altar were separate, but immediately Yugi called, "With Aesop restored, his power is cast again, fusing him to Dark Magic Ritual!"

"Impossible!" But the chaos dragon was already spreading his wings, as defiant as Yugi's next three cards.

"I'm not done yet. One of the spells I returned this time-"

"You..."

"- is De-Fusion! Divide, Realm of Chaos Dragon!" Again, Aesop emerged from his spell, then reunited into the chaotic form. "This adds three more spells to my hand. Once more, I activate De-Fusion - divide and reform!" Each summon refreshed Aesop's call and the demon's rage.

"This dragon will not shake me, no matter how many times you summon it!"

"I'm already finished. There are no more spells in my grave to return. Now I hold eight spells, and my life is at 2300. I set two cards to the field, then activate Card Destruction!"

"Thus placing a penalty on your life!" With a burning slash of his staff, the dark sorcerer prepared to strike at Yugi's heart.

"I also chain the spell, De-Fusion, increasing my life points further!" In his clear form, Aesop returned to his master, who had already discarded his hand just as the blast hit its mark. But the restoring spell's glow followed, doubly bright for two spells, raising his life from 1300 back to 2300. Yugi remained standing, declaring, "I receive four cards in exchange for my discarded ones." _On these four cards, I place our souls._ He drew, and the demon inhaled sharply at the look on Yugi's face.

"By separating my cards, their powers awaken! First, I fuse Heart of Aesop with my face-down card, Living Arrow!" The new summoning light cleared to reveal a cloud-white dragon, edges tipped in the arrow's golden metal, voice as clear as the dawn, 1700 attack strong. "I summon Soul Archer Dragon!" Even as the dragon landed, the torches to its side ignited. "Dark Magic Ritual, activate! I tribute my Magnet Warriors, Alpha and Gamma, from my hand." As the metallic warriors were accepted into the fire, the ancient mark answered, opening the magical portal and delivering a new sorcerer, clothed in black, with eyes purer but no less fierce than its enemy. "Ritual summon - Magician of Black Chaos!"

"Impossible... in one turn, you draw the monster and the sacrifices!"

His life now at 2800, Yugi replied, "There is more to come. Activate Pot of Greed!"

"And you will suffer for it!" But Yugi still withstood the blast, breathing hard as he drew his two cards, healing after the damage.

"I won't hold back! Go, Graceful Charity!" Even as he drew his three cards, he had not time to evaluate them before the untiring attack struck home. Staggering, he finished his discard, forcing himself to stand as the healing light followed.

"Yugi! Please hold on!"

"Don't worry, Anzu. This guy was never strong enough to stop us."

"What did you say?" his opponent spat, tightening his grip on his weapon.

"From the beginning, you knew that mou hitori no boku was the one best able to oppose you. You didn't just set a darkness game to contain me - you set it to contain him! Because you were afraid of him, and you still are!"

"Silence!"

"You resorted to physical control to make mou hitori no boku feel guilty of your crimes. In fact, you can't bear to be inside him, because he has a great heart, bound to his companions."

"His heart is dead! His bonds cannot be regained."

"Just because you think his will is broken? As long as I remember him, he will never be gone from my heart. Here is his strength! Activate face-down spell, Book of Secret Arts! Magician of Black Chaos increases to 3100 attack!"

"But that..."

"I'm not done yet. Activate spell, Necromancy!"

"That spell activates my power!" The blast, fiercest yet, staggered Yugi back several steps, the glow returning him from 1300 to 1800.

"The price is worth it... for mou hitori no boku's trump strategy."

"What?" But the flows of light had already burst from the opposing duel disk. In disbelief, the demon watched as Blast Magician, Gemini Elf, Cybernetic Magician and Breaker the Magical Warrior appeared around him, kneeling and solemn.

"My spell lets me summon up to 4 monsters at random from your grave to your field in defense mode."

"What advantage does that provide to you?"

Smiling grimly, Yugi added, "Every time one of those monsters is destroyed, all other monsters you control lose 600 attack!"

The memory dawned on Anzu's face. "Yugi..."

"My last spell - Diffusion Wave-Motion! I pay 1000 life points to activate it!" Magician of Black Chaos held its staff at ready, glowing brightly.

The demon was laughing, "Then it is already over," and raised his weapon.

The sight of the dark sorcerer's gathering attack made Anzu realize, "No... Only 800 life points left- Yugi!" The weapon sliced, the blast pummeled Yugi's limp frame, and the explosion ripped apart the air, drowning out Anzu's helpless cry for her friend. There was no sound from him before he was lost to sight. The laughing voice proclaiming the end of the duel meant nothing to her as she pressed to the barrier for even one last glimpse of her friend. With agonizing slowness, the smoke cleared away from Yugi's crumpled body.

The demon gasped in shock. Yugi had not fallen at all. His face hung weakly, his arms limp at his sides, but still he stood.

"How is this... the moment your life reached zero, you should have fallen!"

"Y- Yugi..." Then she saw. Her gasp made the demon wheel around to see.

The shrouded form below stood as before: mute, unseeing, broken. Except now his arm was extended as a master commands a trained beast - extended, the demon realized with a shock, towards his permanent spell.

"What did you do?"

"I... choose... aibou..."

"What?"

"Mou hitori no... boku... thank you." Their eyes found each other across the distance, both broken, both very much alive.

"How did you save him?"

"You are not in control... I am the duelist... and I chose... to save aibou first."

"No!"

The effort to speak had already exhausted him, and Yugi continued. "It was his right. He chose to resolve Spell Absorption before your effect. He gave me the last strength I needed to finish my move. Go, Diffusion Wave-Motion - my spellcaster attacks all monsters on your field!" Magician of Black Chaos swung its staff like a mace, launching four crushing spheres of power in succession. As his forces detonated around him, the creature was dragged from all sides by the traitorous ghosts of his monsters. But suddenly he became aware of a stronger phantom, seizing him in a full nelson.

"I should have mentioned it. When I used Graceful Charity, I discarded a monster, Archfiend of Gilfer! Sending him to the grave equips him to a monster, weakening that card by 500 attack, leaving you with only 100 attack!"

Despite the destruction raging around him, the shadow realm held no grip on the other Yugi. "Aibou... thank you."

Eyes clear and set, Yugi called, "Magician of Black Chaos, destroy Dark Eradicator Warlock!" The final sphere sang as it flew, colliding with the enemy and bursting his heart, releasing his terror with an agonizing scream, snuffed out all at once.

Even as the silence fell, from every direction of the shadows came the dark remnants, vengeful and loathing, swarming around the other Yugi. "This duel is not finished yet! I still have 700 life points left, enough to finish you!"

"Mou hitori no Yugi!"

"I end my turn! It's in your hands now!"

Fighting away from the darkness, he answered, "Aibou... the choice is mine... but in this, you are my strength." Eyes to his only hope, he asked, "Will you be with me in this?"

"Yes... always. Go, Soul Archer Dragon!" The bright dragon took flight, soaring straight for the swarm's depths, stretching into a thin beam that pierced the heart of the darkness. Instantly, the dark fragments were pushed away from their target, now enveloped in the loving wings of the spirit in him. "You have no place in him. Instead of binding to the spell, this dragon binds to the heart of the one that holds the spell."

"But Aesop will not need to force my choice of how to use this one. I choose to activate the power of Magical Blast, returning it to my hand and forfeiting my draw!"

"No! You dare..."

"There are no other cards for me to use. I end my turn. Aibou, it is only you now."

"But, mou hitori no boku... if I attack..."

"Aibou, the existence of this fight only supports the darkness. But I have you, and so I will not fall. I bare my heart and all it holds - strike the darkness from me!"

Finding the resolve in his other self's eyes, Yugi nodded. "My turn. Soul Archer Dragon, end this duel!" The wings spread to reveal the dragon's spirit attached to his friend. The claw came gently to rest on the other Yugi's shoulders, and he sighed deeply as the life of his fighting fell away, the stone around his neck crumbling to nothing.

The darkness screamed in fury, streaking to the perimeter of the fading seal. "You are not free of the seal. If you will not sustain it, then I will!"

"Yugi!" He was already outrunning Anzu's call, reaching his companions before the seal had even begun to shrink. Then it closed with a rush upon them all like a vise.

The light that burst from the ground drove Anzu blind, but the pained screams of the demon pierced through her shut senses. Squinting ever so closely, she could see the green seal trembling at the border of the radiant column hiding her friends from view. Her eyes could not bear to search its depths, and presently it grew brighter... no, the seal was turning black, then it shattered, all its power spent. The dark ghost inside tried to flee, but the clear dragon had already emerged from the column, followed by both her friends.

Igniting the Millennium Puzzle, Yugi ordered, "Aesop!" The beam from his dragon's mouth tore through the air, ramming the phantom away. The very fabric of the realm tore at the impact, and the ghost was forced into nothingness. All that remained of the nightmare was a resounding silence.

The frozen moment broke, and Anzu ran to him, to know that he was not dead, that he was still with her. She stopped just short of him, a hundred things to say, but only able to stammer, "Yugi..."

The other Yugi, visible to them both as a spirit, spoke instead. "Thank you... thank you so much, aibou. He is driven from this place for good."

"I- it was all I could do, mou hitori no boku. Can you also leave this place?"

"Not in the Puzzle, but I can still remain with you." Aesop rejoiced at both their outstretched hands, and the glow around all of them became brighter yet as another shape appeared alongside Aesop. The emerging dragon bore a hide the shade of a pure ocean, wiry limbs, one eye scarred.

"Timaeus!" He answered their greeting by taking flight. The sky opened to his wings and song, joined by Aesop's. Reunited, the dragons pulled their three friends into the window in the sky after them, to receive the support of the one who had sent them.

* * *

><p><em>Whew... well, happy Easter! You folks have probably heard John 3:16 get quoted a bunch of times already. so here's John 1:29...<em>

_The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."_


	5. Renewal of the Fallen Hope

The sun shone as bright as ever above the white castle. Yugi, his other self and Anzu appeared over the kingdom, while Timaeus and Aesop returned to their card forms in Yugi's deck. Gracefully, the three friends floated down to land inside the castle's main hall. Though Anzu was baffled by this new location, her companions only turned expectantly when the voice called, "Thank you for returning to us!" Before them appeared a glow of rose light, from which appeared Dark Magician Girl, leader of the realm's protectors. "I am so sorry. I had hoped to reach you sooner, but the darkness broke our links to you before I realized you were in danger."

The other Yugi wasted no time. "Dark Magician Girl, how has the Orichalcos returned to the world? Who is this shadow that bears its power?"

"He is a creature of darkness deeper than the magic of the Orichalcos."

"What do you mean?"

"In this world, we often sense beings from other worlds trying to contact us. Some of these are kind souls that seek our help. Others are dark spirits that would bend us to their will. As with some of these spirits, this new darkness was unable to reach us. But recently, a power was unleashed that allowed him to connect to your world."

"The Orichalcos!"

"Yes. When Timaeus attacked the Leviathan over your city, fragments of the Orichalcos stone fell all across your world. By chance, three of these pieces fell very near to each other, and when Dartz began to feed his power to the stones, their closeness amplified each other's magic. This collection was all the darkness needed to enter your world!

"We did not notice him until it was too late to stop him. He must have settled into the three stones, feeding off the evil of souls Dartz was already gathering. From there, he was able to pass his own power back into the stones, turning their loyalty away from Dartz."

The truth emerged to the other Yugi, "So when the Leviathan was defeated and Dartz was absolved, their magic was already unique, and they remained intact!"

"But the darkness kept the form and powers of the Orichalcos, turning their direction from the Leviathan to himself. By the time we sensed him, he had already formed a new identity."

"New identity?"

"He now calls himself Nightshroud!"

Having a name did not make the nightmare any easier for Anzu. "But why did he hunt for our friends?"

"He knew the three dragons had the power to stop the Orichalcos, and by his connections to Dartz, he learned of the three bearers. By capturing the souls of the three bearers, he would remove all who were capable of fighting him and gain three powerful enforcers in the same stroke."

Yugi realized, "He must have passed some of his magic into Dartz's curse on the god cards and the memory tablet. Breaking most of the Orichalcos slowed him down, but when we brought the cards and tablet together, we reunited his power! And that's when he struck..."

"But," and here she smiled somewhat, "he underestimated how heavily we fought the Orichalcos so long ago."

"What do you mean?"

"Timaeus, Critias and Hermos were not alone in their battle. Since their restoration, we have been able to recompose the history of the war. In fact, there were six captains, each leading defenses against the Orichalcos soldiers. The three you know were more experienced in battle, but their allies were still of considerable strength and were just as courageous. Their names were Socrates, Penelope and Aesop."

"Aesop! He's the dragon that helped us!"

"But what happened to them?"

"Dartz saw them as the weak links to the union. He set his full cunning against their forces, drawing some into ambush, throwing others into panic. One by one, he cornered them and unleashed his full magic upon them, crushing their souls completely.

"Even against this ferocity, their friends did not give up. Their response drove back Dartz's forces and crippled the Leviathan. Dartz's parting attacks on the last three captains were not strong enough to avenge his own defeat. But their friends were so ruined that we despaired of any chance to heal them."

"Not completely." Yugi's reassuring words lightened Dark Magician Girl's eyes somewhat. "You still protected what they had become. And they were healed after all."

"True... protecting them was the least we could do, to honor their sacrifice. As to their healing, the restoration of Timaeus, Critias and Hermos and the defeat of the Leviathan helped greatly, but their true return could only be provided by the ones chosen to share their souls."

Yugi suddenly noticed that all eyes were now on him. "What do we have to do?"

"All six of our guardians are awakened, but Nightshroud still holds a barrier against your friends' souls. Two of the turned stones have been broken; the third is the last remnant of the Orichalcos in either of our worlds, and he is already gathering every trace of his power to wield it. Unless he is defeated, he will be free to collect new souls and new darkness to himself to subdue both our worlds. You must return to your world and finish him before he can complete his control!"

"All right. I will."

"And I will be with you, aibou."

"We all will, Yugi!"

"It is time." Dark Magician Girl lifted her staff, opening a gate. "The dragons will lead you to him. Please, you must defeat Nightshroud!"

* * *

><p><em>Ah, the traditional plot exposition chapter. But that'll hardly do for an update, so I'll add the next chapter tomorrow.<em>


	6. Battle! The Arrival of Darkness

Honda nearly fell out of the car trying to keep a lookout at Mai's speed. He could not guess what had made her so sure that their friends were near, but the appearance of that shadow and the pulse from her dragons felt too familiar to be a coincidence. Without warning, Mai slammed on the horn and the brakes, screeching just short of the figures that had darted out from between the warehouses. "Hey, watch it!"

"Honda?"

"Marik, Mokuba! Oh man, I'm glad you're all right!"

"And you're safe also. Did you see that shadow just now?"

"Yeah, it was flying somewhere over..." The words died on Honda's lips, as a portal of shadow and light appeared by the water. All at once, _they_ ran through the door.

"Yugi! Anzu!"

"Everyone! You're okay! But... what led you here?"

"The dragons." Marik had responded together with Mai, and he gaped at her, realizing he must look as surprised as she did.

Yugi only smiled. "So it's the three of us now. No - in fact, it's the six of us!" And he drew the aqua and silver dragons, holding them out to his friends as they added theirs. With a luminous chord, the six dragons landed around the group.

Honda gasped. "Six dragons? No way..."

"Listen." Yugi had everyone's full attention. "All of us have fought the darkness. He fought you using Kaiba and Jonouchi, didn't he? He also used mou hitori no boku."

"What? That bastard!"

"But you all won, didn't you? So freeing brother and the others should be easy!"

"No, Anzu and I found out what this guy is capable of. His name is Nightshroud, and he rescued three pieces of the Orichalcos by combining their magic with his own. With those stones, he has the power to gather souls and expand the darkness."

Marik remembered, "He still has Kaiba's stone!"

"Right, and that's the last one left. We need to find him and defeat him before he can gather his magic and use it."

"Well, we saw the shadow fly out there just now," pointed Mai. "So we follow him."

"I can have a chopper here in ten minutes," declared Mokuba, but a growl made him turn around to see Critias crouching to him. All around them, the dragons bowed to the friends they would gladly bear. Helping Anzu onto Timaeus before leaping onto Aesop, Yugi called the six of them into the sky, clutching the tough hide as his dragon scented his prey and led them towards the horizon.

\\\

After what felt like hours, a blotch appeared in the distance, growing into an island even as Yugi spotted it. As the dragons swooped lower, he searched intently for any trace of their enemy, but the twilight shadows made it difficult. Most of the island was covered by forest, save for the simmering crater forcing itself out of the trees. _A completely uninhabited island..._ Nightshroud could hardly have picked a better place to rest and brood.

A black bolt of energy shot from the volcano, nearly blasting Aesop from the sky if not for his reflexes.

"Yugi!" "Are you all right?"

"Look out!" Billowing black shapes, at least a dozen, soared from the trees, launching dark energy at any and all of the dragons. Rolling and dodging the crossfire, the dragons fought back, shredding any phantoms they could hit. But no sooner did the phantoms break than their fragments reformed, seemingly unharmed.

"No way!" "They aren't destroyed?" Relentlessly, Hermos, Critias and Timaeus sniped them all, with Penelope, Socrates and Aesop taking up the salvo. One by one, the shadows burst into ashes of their former shapes.

"Yes!" Mokuba yelled. "Those guys are finished!" But the fragments were not gone, and as the riders looked around, the shadows swept together towards one focal point, gathering and solidifying with a heavy breath they had all heard before. "What the..."

"Aibou - above you!" The bolts shot down from the sky and smote every one of the dragons, their passengers screaming only once before they all slipped from the dragons' limp backs and fell from the sky. All except Yugi, whose guardian had also heard the voice and instinctively tumbled to the side. Yugi was catapulted away, and the blast caught Aesop in the chest.

"No! Everyone!" Hearing his master and wrenching his eyes open, Aesop cried out to his companions, who managed to stir even as they plummeted earthward. Frantically, Yugi tried to see what happened to the others, but his guardian's arms carefully wrapped around him, and he knew nothing except the feel of the swerving attempts to level off.

The impact crashed his head into Aesop's scaly chest, driving the wind and thought out of him all at once. _Can't... move... can't see... no!_ Forcing his eyes open, Yugi wriggled out of his guardian's embrace. Before his other self could warn him, Yugi leapt down from Aesop's chest to find his friends. The moment he ran into the clearing, another bolt shot down from the sky, and too late Yugi realized his heedless mistake, and he cowered behind a raised arm.

The explosion from Aesop's counterattack nearly burned him with its close heat, and he staggered backwards, looking gratefully at his dragon, slowly and shakily getting to his feet. "Aesop... thank you."

"Aibou!" His other self's voice sounded patchy and frantic.

"What's wrong, mou hitori no boku?"

"The darkness is descending. I cannot reach your heart anymore, and I may not be able to speak with you." Already, his voice dwindled at an alarming rate.

"M- mou hitori no boku!"

"I have faith in you, aibou..." He was gone.

"Yugi."

_That voice!_ Yugi glowered up at the shadow, descending without hurry from the sky. All he saw was a billowing cloak, hooded and tall, a pair of piercing, pinpoint lights for eyes. As it landed, Yugi saw it stood at least seven feet tall, skeletal frame and hands showing under the cloak. The eyes burned like candle flames, but frozen and unwavering. That face jutted out like an animal's, bones incapable of a grin or of fear. "You..."

"I see you have decided to persist in your anger against me. That is as well; it has saved me the trouble of hunting for you."

"Nightshroud! I can't forgive the pain you've inflicted on my friends."

"Pain? Look around you, and you will see they do not suffer now."

Peering around the dusky clearing, Yugi could just make out the five crumpled groups on the ground. Some of the impacts had been much more severe than others - Critias, belly up, had crushed both wings into the ground in landing, but he had saved Mokuba from being skewered on his spiky armor. No one seemed to be bleeding or worse. But none moved, and the dragons had all collapsed. _If not for mou hitori no boku's senses..._ "You can't excuse yourself! Your crimes against Jonouchi, Kaiba and mou hitori no boku can't be forgiven."

"I have done nothing to hurt them."

"What? You tortured their souls! You tried to force us against each other."

"You still believe I was the cause of that? You have not been listening."

"What do you mean?"

"I have done no more or less than reveal what was already at the hearts of your partners. You who have stood alongside the fears of your other self for so long should understand this most of all."

"But you took away all the values and joy in their hearts. That's not who they really are!"

"And what is unnatural about that?"

His calm indifference choked Yugi's words in shock. "It... it's taking away all they've learned, all the relationships they've built!"

"Essentially, it is to exclude what they have spent their lives establishing."

"Well, yes."

"But to have established it, they must have begun without it, correct?"

"I... yes..."

"And do they have it at the end?"

"What end?"

"The end of life. The end of days. Do you believe that such things are immortal?"

"The bond between me and mou hitori no boku will never break!"

"You presume to say never? You, who are no more than a gasp in eternity?"

"And you're so much greater?"

"I am." Like all his words, it was so matter-of-fact that Yugi could not scoff at him. "I have lived at the windows of reality longer than the human race has existed. I have seen its risings, and I have seen its falls. In the beginning, there was nothing, void so complete as to be impossible to name. But then came beginnings, of form and flow, life and continuance. The humans inherited this world, and they were the sole ones to search through its secrets, seeking the reason why they should have the lives they have. Some never manage even to seek understanding. It is only a select few that are able to sift the illusion from the truth."

"The truth?"

"But they are so often frustrated because their knowledge cannot see back into the past, to their true origins. They are confounded by the ages of oblivion, before humans were aware of themselves, before humans existed. And they cannot see forward, for try as they might to extrapolate from what they know, their logic cannot endure. Sooner or later, all the things humans think are real either end or are revealed to be false. And so, unable to comprehend the world around them, they conclude the answer lies within themselves.

"But here the truth is revealed. Because one is a product of one's environment, one is based on origins that are not understood, and on premises that will eventually fall. So nothing lasting is created, though humans lie to themselves, saying it will endure, despite all evidence to the contrary. In this vein, empires are painstakingly built and bloodily torn down. Resources are sunk into colossal artifacts that are eroded, destroyed, rendered obsolete, or simply forgotten. Even exposing oneself to other humans risks great pain and reaps little, for humans are waging their hearts against unfathomable eternity. Over the timeline of this magnitude, life ends, paths diverge, and one's identity, the only thing you are sure of having, diminishes to zero."

"That's enough!" Yugi screamed to be sure of having his voice; he had been so silent he could not be sure of having even breathed in the past few minutes. "You're wrong! People are not zero! I can't let you drag us all down with your lies."

"And how will you oppose me?"

"You use dueling to show your heart. Then let's duel, and I'll show you how a true heart withstands the darkness!" Aesop crowed his agreement and glowed softly. Looking around, Yugi saw the other five dragons give corresponding glows, calmly melting into streams of light that arced into his deck.

"Very well, then." From Nightshroud's cloaked shoulders sprouted five wings, leathery and jagged. In a flash of darkness, five cards materialized from nothing into his raised hand. Yugi loaded his deck, activated his disk and drew five cards of his own.

"Duel!"


	7. The Inevitable Seal Combination

Ready for action, Yugi sized up his cards. _Yes - Aesop in my first hand! I need to offer my best strength for this duel. The dragons trusted me, and I won't let them down._

"I will go first. Draw," intoned Nightshroud, as a card materialized into his open hand. "Activate spell, Cold Wave." From one of his wings pulsed the shaded shape of the spell, but before Yugi could recognize this manner of dueling, a petrifying wind howled across the field, covering the ground in an inch-thick icy crust. "This spell may only be played at the beginning of my main phase. It forbids any spells or traps from being activated or set until the end of your next turn. Set one monster." The hidden card appeared on another wing. "End turn."

"Draw." _Fang of Critias! I want to use you, but I can't provide a card for you or Aesop... at least, not yet. But I'll fight as best as I can, and next turn, with two dragons, I'll show this guy what we can do!_ "I summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior in attack mode! Attack his monster!" The pink fighter appeared on the field, wings spread wide. Leaping to its target, it coiled its spring-loaded arm and punched through the set card easily.

All at once, the fragments reappeared as a stone jar with a gaping, grinning eye inside. "No - not Morphing Jar!"

"Morphing Jar's flip effect - both players discard their entire hands and draw five cards." All at once, every card in Nightshroud's hand vanished into smoky darkness, to be replaced by five more.

Yugi managed to do the same with his cards. "End turn."

"Your hands are trembling, Yugi. Why is this?"

"You already know - you planned that, didn't you?"

"It seems that more than one dragon was in your hand."

"Just make your move!"

"If you insist. Draw. It is time to begin the true darkness game. Activate Seal of Orichalcos!" The card floated from his hands, orbited by the small green stone that appeared around it. With a roar, both objects were bathed in the stream of darkness flowing from his hands until the fierce column sprang up around Nightshroud, growing around both duelists until it absorbed them both. Above and around them surged a dark cloud, closing into a dome and blocking all surroundings from view, leaving the duel illuminated only by the seal burning beneath their feet.

Yugi stared back at his opponent, but something seemed out of place. Then he realized: Nightshroud's brow had no seal on it, and his eyes were still that piercing blue. Instead, the darkness flowed from his gaunt frame across the lines of the boundary and back again, like water on a spider web, moving of its own volition. "Now, Yugi, the revelation begins. Summon Mystic Tomato - attack Gamma." The plant grew by the seal's power to 1900 points, bounding hungrily at the fighter, shattering it and reducing Yugi's life points to 3600. "End turn."

_He got an early lead and a strong monster. But worse than that... Aesop, Critias - I'm sorry. Whatever it takes, I'll make things right again - I promise! _"Draw. Activate spell, Graceful Charity. I draw three cards and discard two." _Even though mou hitori no boku isn't with me, this duel is for him and our shared heart!_ He declared, "Activate spell, Polymerization. Go, Dark Magician and Buster Blader - combine your strength to form Dark Paladin!" The purple-clad sorcerer and swordsman sprang to the glowing spell, melting into the new form, appearing in a flash. The new warlock stood taller than his forebears, wielding a sharp-edged staff, glaring quietly at its target. "Dark Paladin's ability gives him 500 attack for every dragon-type monster on the field or in the graveyard."

"I have no dragons."

"No, but I do: one of my discards was Curse of Dragon, raising my paladin to 3400! Go, destroy Mystic Tomato!" Holding his wand like a sword, the dark man gathered his magic, until his arm suddenly lanced out. The dark beam slashed across the plant, who shattered in a shriek, Nightshroud's life falling to 2500.

"Mystic Tomato's special ability: when it is destroyed and sent to the grave by battle, I can summon a dark-attribute monster with 1500 or less attack. Summon Metabo Globster in attack mode."

Yugi had braced himself, but he paused at the sight of the shriveled creature, with only 1300 attack. _Why such a weak monster? He's planning something, I'm sure of it!_ "Set one card, and activate Swords of Revealing Light, sealing your monsters for three turns. I end my turn."

"Interesting. You panicked sooner than I thought."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You haven't realized it yet? Yugi, nothing is hidden from me. I can see into the darkest corners of any heart, including yours."

"My heart?" Nightshroud's voice had that knowing note again, and his eyes - those _eyes_ - glowed brighter than before.

"Your friends could not hide the darkness in their hearts from me, and I see yours also. Yes... Always alone, always the smallest, you sought friends. Over time, you came to rely on them. Without them, you suffer again, feeling lost, weakened."

"Stop it! We're not like that!"

"But what brings more suffering to you is seeing your friends tortured on your behalf. And so you declare yourself the protector of those around you, as if that is able to remove them from pain. But you cannot divert their pain. As long as they are with you, they will be in danger. Who will fall first, your friends, or their self-appointed protector?"

"Your words won't affect me. Just make your move!"

Though it was impossible, Nightshroud seemed to smile with a satisfied air. He added, almost as an afterthought, "Of course, this role of yours does nothing to change the true fear at the bottom of your heart." But Yugi refused to answer. "Draw card. I sacrifice Metabo Globster to summon Caius the Shadow Monarch." Engulfed in the dark cloud, the smaller monster gave way to a towering demon, cloaked, armored and leering, 2900 attack strong.

"He can't beat my Dark Paladin!"

"Caius' special ability: when he is tribute summoned, one card on the field is removed from play."

"What? Any card?"

"Furthermore, if the removed card is a dark-attribute monster, Caius inflicts 1000 points of damage to the opponent. Go, eliminate Dark Paladin!" Holding a sphere of void in his hands, Caius launched his curse at the enemy.

"Activate quick-play spell, De-Fusion!" Inches from oblivion, the monster split, Dark Magician and Buster Blader leaping to either side of the blast, landing defiantly to the field. "You won't hurt me or my monsters that easily."

"And neither will you hurt me. First, Metabo Globster's ability activates. By offering it to summon a dark-attribute monster, I summon three Metabo Tokens in defense mode." The slouching creatures, mimics of their predecessor, slumped with zero strength in front of the monarch. "And now, with your paladin gone, I activate the spell Terraforming, letting me move a field spell from my deck to my hand."

"A second field spell?"

"Activate Orichalcos Deuteros!" The howling circuit of darkness rose in pitch as a second border of runes appeared around the first, spinning, encircling the field, humming with energy. Nightshroud, amused at Yugi's trembling courage, savored the moment before continuing his move.

Outside the field, out of the opaque hemisphere, the other Yugi peered frantically into the murky depths for any sign of his partner. At first, Nightshroud's presence had merely dulled his senses, making him unable to speak to Yugi's thoughts. But the dome had blocked him completely, and the appearance of the second border petrified him before it too was engulfed in the shadow. In desperation, the spirit cast the voice of his mind about, calling for any one to hear him, calling Yugi's name.

What answered was not Yugi's voice, and he wheeled around to the source. Anzu's form lay still on the ground, but some part of her heart stirred, and he called out to her. "Anzu! Can you hear me? Anzu!"

"Wh... who's... there?"

In the void of mental exile, the other Yugi could see Anzu's spirit, adrift from her body, still sluggish. "Anzu, listen to me! Yugi is dueling Nightshroud, and I can't reach him! He's alone."

"Mou hitori no... Yugi..." Anzu's eyes flew open, and she saw her disabled form below her, but she could not reach it. It felt too far away, as if on top of a mountain. "What happened? Where are we?"

"I believe Nightshroud cast your soul out of your body, much like he did with me."

"What about the others? Are they all right?"

With all his mind, the other Yugi called out, but could not even sense the others. "Their souls are beyond my reach. I know their bodies are alive, but I can't feel them."

"But why am I the only one... The last thing I remember was being on Timaeus, and he fell to one side all of a sudden, and then I blacked out."

"He must have also heard me!"

"Heard what?" But she gasped and wheeled around, having just noticed the dark hemisphere. "Yugi's in there!"

"Can you feel him?"

"I... I think I can. It's hard, though. The shadow is blocking him out."

"We'll both reach out to him." Concentrating, Anzu and the other Yugi sought their companion. Their gaze, digging through the depths of the darkness, slowly drew their spirits forward also.

While the other Yugi awakened Anzu, Nightshroud addressed Yugi within the second seal. "Orichalcos Deuteros' ability increases my life points once per turn by 500 for each monster I control," and as the energy pulsed from his four monsters, his life rose to 4500. "Your monsters can no longer defeat Caius, but your spell of light holds me at bay. Clearly, I cannot touch you or your monsters. Set one card. End turn."

_I have to find a way to beat his monsters, or else he'll become too powerful to defeat! No... he's not that powerful. I won't let him defeat my heart!_ "My turn! Draw! I set one card and activate Card of Sanctity. We both draw until we hold six cards." Four shadows blossomed into Nightshroud's hand, while Yugi silently called to his deck. _I am not afraid of him. The strength to survive is in these cards. Please, give me your strength._

Just as the other Yugi was worried they might not be able to reach, the field appeared before them, as though they floated outside a dome of glass. He and Anzu called Yugi's name, but there was no reaction, and their voices died away too quickly in this void. Then, when they saw Yugi activate his spell, they held their breath as Yugi prepared himself, drawing six cards all at once.

"This is it, Nightshroud! I call upon Wing of Penelope!" From the light appeared the orchid dragon, roar and stance strong. "Fuse with my spell, Swords of Revealing Light, to create a new power!" Drawn to her, the crosses of light spun her within their radiance, melting her form away into light. The brightness parted, revealing a new weapon - a true sword, with crystalline hilt and blade shining like the sun at its height. Buster Blader willingly replaced his sword for the luminous weapon, wielding it with all his ease. "The equip spell to erase the darkness - Piercing Light Sword! This sword appears with three spell counters on it." As the bright spheres appeared on the hilt, Yugi thought,_ Not only that, I can remove one of them to end his battle phase at will - three more turns safe from his monsters, instead of two!_ "But its real power lets me see through all your deception. With this spell, all face-down cards on your field are revealed to my sight! Go, illuminate the darkness!" Buster Blader, brandishing the sword like a torch, allowed the beam to fill to the far field.

"So you wish to see the card I have hidden? Very well. Activate trap, Eradicator Epidemic Virus, sacrificing Caius as the cost!" The monarch melted into a cloud of swirling particles, seething and moving like a swarm of insects.

"Sacrificing Caius? What have you done?"

"To use this trap costs a dark-attribute monster with at least 2500 attack. However, it releases a virus capable of destroying either all the spells or traps you possess."

"No! It can't be!"

"Eradicator Epidemic Virus, destroy all Yugi's spell cards!" The swarm broke, scattering in all directions before striking, smothering his field from every side. Buster Blader panicked, feeling the sword in his hands convulse violently before exploding into countless fragments.

"Penelope!"

"And this is only the beginning. The virus also destroys all spells in your hand, and will continue to do so until your third turn has ended." The cloud tightened its grip onto Yugi's wrist, sniffing out his cards and descending upon one. "Ah, you hold another spell."

Alarmed, Yugi looked up, seeing Nightshroud's piercing gaze sweeping the contamination.

But the other forestalled his surprise. "Of course, the virus lets me confirm every card you hold. Your face-down is the trap, Backup Soldier, and your hand holds one spell, Monster Reborn."

Outside the field, the other Yugi realized the true magnitude of those words. _He saw every card Yugi holds. Without spells, Yugi might counter with traps, but now Nightshroud can anticipate all of them!_

"I won't forgive you for destroying Penelope!"

"And how do you intend to respond?"

"You still think I can't fight back?"

"Can you? You have not shown much ability thus far."

"I... of course I can! Your strength isn't so great as you say it is. You gave up your ace monster for that trap, and now I can break your defenses. I summon Obnoxious Celtic Guard in attack mode!" The elf swordsman held his weapon at the ready, as did his larger comrades. "Celtic Guard, attack the first Metabo Token!" Leaping at the central fiend, the warrior swung his blade down, straight on target.

But the blade did not connect. Around Yugi rose an angry hum, and the token seized up, surging with a violent energy that crushed it into a sphere of shining power. The sword froze against the sphere, and for a moment all was still. Then, the sphere released its energy with a searing roar, and the blast caught its victim straight in the heart, obliterating him with only a single yell.

"What... what happened?"

"The other ability of Orichalcos Deuteros - when an opponent's monster attacks, I have the power to sacrifice one monster to negate your attack and destroy the attacking monster."

"It... can't be... All my attacks are sealed?"

"Of course not. You may attack any time you wish."

"You know I can't do that! I can't hand over my monsters to be destroyed!" The silent smile choked his throat, in all its galling confidence. "I end my turn."

"Do you see it now, Yugi? The thing you fear most?"

_I won't be provoked by him. I won't even respond!_

"Draw. Set two cards and one monster. Then I activate the power of Orichalcos Deuteros." His life points rose to 6000, and he continued, "For all your words, you have not damaged me. You suspected this might happen, though you refused to admit it to yourself. Tell me, has the nameless Pharaoh undergone great trials?"

"What? I mean..." The words torn from him, he finished, "Of course he has."

"Has he faced strong, terrifying opponents and defeated them also?"

"You already know he has!"

"Am I a strong, terrifying opponent?"

"You're nothing! Mou hitori no boku could defeat you easily!"

"But you cannot, and this is what you fear."

"Sh... stop talking!"

"You know the nameless Pharaoh is a great duelist. You know many champion duelists. But the strongest enemies are always met by them, not by you. They are special; they are unique. As for you... you are only an observer to this, dragged into battle by those chosen to fight. You are merely the vessel, chosen by chance and not by merit. Though you have tried to convince yourself otherwise, you refuse to exalt yourself, knowing how fiercely such pride would dominate you. You fear, and rightly so, that despite all you would say, you are really no better than anyone else."

Far away, hidden voices protested violently against his voice, begging Yugi to not listen, yelling for the shadow to be silent. Nothing was heard by the shaking duelist within the boundary, clenching his fists repeatedly.

"Now you see, Yugi. End turn."

"You... I'll withstand anything you try to do! I won't be beaten! My draw!"

"Reveal the card to me."

Silently, for the barest instant, Yugi revealed Beta the Magnet Warrior, then shuffled it into his hand. "I set one card and one monster. Turn end."

"Draw. Activate spell, Different Dimension Capsule, allowing me to remove a card from my deck and add it to my hand in two turns. I promise you, Yugi: this card will unleash nightmares you have never faced before!"

_He's probably bluffing again. He wants to distract me from his other down cards. A destructive effect would be helpful, but without my spells, it won't be easy._

But Nightshroud was already there. "Activate spell, Magic Reflector. This card places a counter on my spell, preventing the capsule from being destroyed once." As Yugi glared at the now-shrouded capsule, realizing its true importance, Nightshroud asked in what was meant to be a hurt voice, "Yugi, did you doubt the openness of my intentions?" Continuing regardless, he called, "Set one monster, and activate Deuteros' ability," his life rising to 8000. "Now it is time for the bottomless darkness to test your limits. Flip summon, Brain Jacker." The hidden monster appeared, a winged brain with a protruding eye that glanced about, sighted its target and leapt straight at the face of Buster Blader.

Frantically, the swordsman tried to pull the grotesque creature away, but Yugi could only watch as it sickeningly sunk into his monster's head. The wings protruding dully, Buster Blader became calm and leapt to the opposing field. "What did you do?"

"When flipped, Brain Jacker becomes a spell equipped to the opponent's monster, giving me control over that monster." Horrified, Yugi saw Buster Blader stand tall between the two tokens, protecting all the cards on Nightshroud's back row. "Because you are Buster Blader's enemy now, his power increases from the dragon in your grave to 3600 total. Go, Buster Blader - attack Dark Magician!" Seal burning, sword shining, the warrior struck out at the sorcerer.

"Activate trap, Shift! I switch the attack to my face-down monster!" In a flash, Dark Magician and the hidden card exchanged places, and the blade crushed the imp within easily. "With Sangan destroyed, I can move a monster to my hand - Kuriboh!"

"A curious choice... But, it is obvious. That is one of the monsters bound closest to your heart, is it not?" Occupied in shuffling his hand again, Yugi did not answer. "It must be sentimental, as its ability contradicts your current plight. Kuriboh is meant to be a defense for when things have gone very wrong for you. The fact you choose him means you must lack faith in your monsters after all."

"Take that back!" Anzu and the other Yugi gasped at the vehemence of this recent outburst. "My monsters do not lack faith in each other, and I do not lack faith in them!"

"Then we will see how well they protect you, for my ability to attack varies beyond the reach of your defenses. End turn."

"I draw!" Confident, he showed, "Here's my card, Valkyrion!"

"And here is mine. Activate continuous trap, Bad Reaction to Simochi. You see, Brain Jacker has a second effect: the original owner of the controlled monster gains 500 life points in each of his standby phases. However, my trap changes all healing of your life into damage."

"What?" But the purple glow had already spread across Buster Blader's head, erupting into an electrical surge causing him to clutch his brow tightly. And then Yugi knew no more - the pain was in him, through his head, down his spine, convulsing his limbs and escaping from his screaming mouth. All at once it faded, and his life fell to 3100, but it felt like it should be much lower. "That... won't stop me... activate trap, Backup Soldier! Let's test your foresight, Nightshroud. This lets me return three monsters from my grave to my hand if they have 1500 or less attack and no effect. I recover Alpha the Magnet Warrior, Gamma the Magnet Warrior, and Giant Soldier of Stone! Then I discard Alpha, Beta, and Gamma to the grave to summon my trump card." Above him appeared the sword-bearing, horseshoe-powered, and spring-fisted fighters, disassembling to components that swarmed and reformed under their own direction. "Go, Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!" Complete, the champion landed to the field, 3500 attack strong.

"Three cards fused as one. But even this is not strange to me. Activate quick-play spell, Demise of the Land. By your special summon, I can respond with this, allowing me to activate a field spell from my deck."

"It can't be!"

"Activate Orichalcos Tritos!" Around them spiraled the third border, the triple boundary of runes and intensifying magic. As it settled to a stop, solidifying the barrier around them, the hiss of flowing shadow lowered to a predatory rumble. Yugi's friends were nearly cast away, but tirelessly they willed themselves to remain. The other Yugi silently prayed his companion could withstand the pressures to come. Anzu whispered Yugi's name, her unease growing at the sight of his clenched fists.

Stalwart as his new monster, he called, "I end my turn."

Anzu wondered, "Mou hitori no Yugi... he doesn't have any traps left. Is he saving Dark Magician by destroying Valkyrion?"

"Aibou... no, he would never do that. He might- he _must_ have something else!"

Already, the phantom closed in. "Draw card. Activate Deuteros' power, raising my life points to 10000. Buster Blader - destroy the Dark Magician!" Again, the mighty warrior leapt in to attack.

"Monster ability, activate!" Dark Magician crossed his arms, and a barrier of voltage surrounded him, stopping the sword cold in its arc. "By excluding Electromagnetic Turtle from my grave, your battle phase is finished. You won't be able to hurt my monsters so easily. But of course you saw that coming, didn't you?"

"Turn end."

"Then you know as well as I do that my turn has ended three times since your virus appeared. My spells are free, and I promise I'll draw the card to break your strength this turn. Draw!"

"Brain Jacker combo, activate." Buster Blader's seizure, severe as it was, did not match Yugi's convulsing screams, staggering as his life points fell to 2600. But presently, Yugi's eyes flashed open, and he forced himself to look at what card he held. His mouth creased into a snickering smile, and he yelled, "This is the spell, Nightshroud! Activate, Dark Magic Attack!" Dark Magician's staff glowed brightly, quaking from the energy within. "Deuteros can't seal this attack, because now my monster uses a spell to destroy your cards!"

"Have you forgotten Tritos? Its ability is to protect all my monsters from your spells and traps."

"That's too bad, because it's not your monsters I'm attacking!"

"What?"

"Dark Magician, activate your power to destroy all his spell and trap cards! Dark Magic Attack!" The staff swung, and the power shot forth, crushing all parts of the far field, including Buster Blader, whose frightened voice suddenly cut out as the winged energy on his head broke. Shaken, the seal faded from his brow, and he leapt back to Yugi's field with fresh eyes. "The Brain Jacker combo is gone!"

"By removing the reflector's counter, my capsule is not destroyed, though my other two cards are," recited Nightshroud, as the sphere disintegrated from the lone spell.

"But my three monsters are reunited. Nightshroud! Just as Dark Magician rescued Buster Blader from your control, so will their union keep them alive. This is the bond that cannot be broken!" Dark Magician, Valkyrion and Buster Blader stood together, weapons ready, eyes set for battle. "Turn end."

"Draw card. Yugi, you will regret your haste. You have not known darkness until now. Different Dimension Capsule, open." Receiving the hidden card, he called, "Summon Magical Scientist in attack mode!" The dark-glassed doctor with 800 attack had no sooner appeared than his master called, "Set one card. Flip summon, Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV 4!" The metallic eagle-beaked dragon's eyes burned to 2100 strength. "I also activate the ability of Magical Scientist: by paying 1000 life points, I may summon a fusion monster for one turn."

"What? Any fusion monster?"

"The monster I choose must be level 6 or less. But that is enough power for this. Summon, Sanwitch in attack mode." The three-eyed magician's strength grew to 2600. "I activate this ability again, summoning another Sanwitch in attack mode."

_Those monsters aren't strong enough beat Buster Blader, now that he has a dragon on his field, but they can beat Dark Magician!_ "This is your plan, to cover your field with fusion monsters?"

"Activate Deuteros' ability, recovering my life points to 11000. Activate spell, Level Up! Horus, advance to your next level - LV 6!" The darkness enveloped the dragon head to claw, growing and filling it until it stood taller than any of Yugi's monsters, wings spreading wide.

"2800 attack!" _But Buster Blader is at 3600 now!_

"To summon my next monster, I must sacrifice two spellcasters of level 6 or higher. I offer both Sanwitch monsters as tributes!" The witches, bathed in circles of energy from below, melted into ghosts that merged into one magical circle of power at the center of Nightshroud's field. Upon combining, the circle turned a furious red, and with a roar, it delivered the monster rising from within. Muscles flexed, hair wild, black robes like iron, his magical staff crackled with the energy flowing from the seal's darkness. "Rise, Sorcerer of Dark Magic!" His eyes snapped open, surging by the seal to 3700 attack.

_Not him... it can't be him!_

"Go, Horus LV 6 - destroy Dark Magician!" The dark fire launched forth from the dragon's throat in a roaring volcanic blast. This time, nothing stood in the way, and the explosion towered like a funeral pyre as Yugi's monster broke and disappeared.

"No! Dark Magician!"

"Sorcerer of Dark Magic - destroy Buster Blader!" Swinging his mighty scepter, the warlock brought it crashing down to the ground, catapulting a sphere of raw darkness that ripped up the earth in its wake. The impact with the swordsman deafened Yugi, the catastrophic shockwave nearly drowning out the sight of his warrior's demise.

Gasping and shaking, no clear words managed to emerge, and his mind struggled even to grasp what he had just seen. _All at once... the twin aces of my deck... mou hitori no boku and me... I was supposed to keep them together, keep us together! How could I let this happen?_

"At the end of my turn, when Horus LV 6 has defeated a monster, his ability activates!" The dark shroud, deeper than before, feeding and transforming the dragon, opened to reveal a terrifying monster, clawed arms outstretched, broad wings flexed, fierce face set on its prey. The seal, adding to its fiery eyes, burned at 3500 attack. "Summon Horus LV 8! End turn."

Yugi's breath caught in his throat. _Something's not right. Nightshroud had that level spell in his hand last turn. He waited until my defenses were gone so that he could summon the highest form all at once. Why put so much value on that, unless- _"Horus has the power to destroy spells!"

Thunderstruck at these words, Anzu and the other Yugi's surprise changed to creeping fear as Nightshroud laughed. "Correct. You have played this sorcerer in the past, so you already know his power, to seal any trap I choose. And now, you see my dragon grants me the ability to seal any spell I choose."

Anzu wailed, "It can't be! Mou hitori no Yugi, he's lying, isn't he?"

"No, that is the sorcerer's power, and I can feel the energy from that dragon. He's right; with those monsters together, as soon as a spell or trap is activated, he has the power to negate and destroy it!" _And with 11000 life against 2200..._

"This is the ultimate seal, Yugi," Nightshroud chanted. "Each of these monsters is the match of the other, the two halves of the negation combo. This is the darkness you must defeat, before it closes in and smothers you completely."

"No... no, I won't give up!" Every word was torn from his heart and throat, his friends torn with anguish to see the pressure he was under, but he managed to say, "My turn."


	8. Crushed Soul, the Unseen Chain

Preparing to draw, his thoughts pounded feverishly. _I can't use spells or traps, so I must rely on monsters. Not only that, most of my best monsters have already been used. But there is still one chance... one card to bring out the true power from my monster's heart. Protector of mou hitori no boku, please help me!_ "Draw!"

Nightshroud, Anzu, the other Yugi - all held their breath as he drew. And all could see the triumphant look on his face, as Yugi declared, "For mou hitori no boku! I call upon Eye of Timaeus!" The column of light and surge of strength shook the air as Timaeus appeared in all his scarred, valiant power, roaring defiantly against all the demons trying to intimidate him.

"So you defy my grasp yet, Yugi?"

"Timaeus will do more than that. He'll surpass all the darkness you've gathered! Go, Timaeus - fuse with Valkyrion the Magna Warrior to create a new monster!" Joyous, the dragon and the armed fighter moved together to unite their energy. Anzu and the other Yugi's faith soared to see this combination at work.

"Activate continuous trap, Ultimate Offering. By paying 500 life points, a duelist is allowed to conduct an additional normal summon or set."

"What?"

"I pay 500 life points and sacrifice Magical Scientist to summon Vanity's Fiend in attack mode!" The scientist vanished in the dark fog that suddenly billowed across the field. Yugi peered through the depths until a form emerged from the darkness. Its eyes burned as those of a predator, it seemed to be a man, but it was a man coated in winged, beast-like armor, 2500 attack strong. The fog, now a viscous smoke, curled around his flexing hands.

"What is that thing?"

"Your dragon will not touch me. With this monster in play, all special summons are forbidden!"

"But... that means..." The smoke flooded the field ankle-deep, and helplessly, Yugi felt the trembling from his monsters. Valkyrion and Timaeus stood side to side, but their figures were veiled in shadow, their bodies refusing to touch. Repulsed, they rejected contact, Valkyrion springing back to his place with a mute finality. But Timaeus shuddered, called out to no one, head hanging, abandoned. With no one to support him, he drooped forward, slumping to the ground. "No... no!" Already dissolving to a feeble light, Timaeus groaned one final breath before dispersing completely. "Timaeus!"

Outside, Anzu would have fallen to her knees if gravity had held any pull on her. The other Yugi swayed in place, fit to collapse at the slightest touch. She heard someone trying to keep from crying, and it might have been her as easily as either of them.

But she could see Yugi's trembling, and soon she heard his voice, "Gone... I've lost him... He's gone..." He looked up at Nightshroud, expecting some form of gloating, but the piercing eyes were content to survey his emptiness, his lone monster. Then he remembered. "I- I defend with Valkyrion. I'll set another monster, too. I end my turn."

"Draw. Set card. Orichalcos Deuteros, activate." His life now at 13000, he ordered, "Sorcerer of Dark Magic, destroy his face-down monster!" After the stunned silence, the magical explosion roared all the more, annihilating Giant Soldier of Stone in an instant. "Turn end. You cannot hide from me, Yugi."

"Stop it! Leave me alone! My turn."

"Activate trap, Nightmare Wheel." When the grotesque shadow cleared, Valkyrion lay strapped to the rim of a wheel carved with distorted shapes. His limbs, stretched to their limits, twitched uncontrollably with the already-heightening tension. "This permanent trap holds your monster immobile and deals 500 points of damage to you with every standby phase I take."

"You... you're not content to kill my monsters - now you torture them?"

"Only if you allow it."

"If I... but I can't summon the other magnet warriors. You... you expect me to sacrifice Valkyrion!"

"That is your choice."

"You mean it's my only choice - you haven't given me much else!"

"You never had anything else."

"What did you just say?"

"Haven't you guessed how I can do this?"

"Your high and mighty sight into the depths of the world, I bet?"

"Precisely. You would not listen when I told you the truth at the foundation of the world. But this is irrefutable proof. Formation and decay - there is nothing in the world that is not subject to these forces. Study any object closely, and you will learn how it begins, how it continues, and how it ends. One who understands these forces and how they affect all things is able to anticipate them and, in turn, control them. What a weaker mind views as random can be controlled by a stronger mind. But humans cannot perceive these things, and so the world, the infinitely degenerate world, remains out of their control."

"SHUT UP!" The roar bursting from Yugi's throat paralyzed all else, except for his quaking fists and ragged breaths. Anzu could not see his face, and for an instant, she wondered if she really wanted to. But she could not ignore the rasping words clawing from his mouth. "I cannot use spells, I cannot use traps, I cannot attack, and I cannot summon monsters able to win... And now, if Valkyrion lives, then inch by inch, I will die." It tore her heart, but it could not possibly be worse than hearing Nightshroud speak. Then she saw it: the Puzzle around his neck swayed freely, pulsing with magic. "You've shut all the roads for me to use, or at least, you think you have."

The Puzzle's energy surged all of a sudden, but it was not the golden glow. From it and the eye emblem on Yugi's forehead seared the deep purple burn of the realm dominated by the Millennium Items. "You sealed my cards, but did you guess how deeply that would reach with me? Did you ever imagine that I would still find a way to fight you?" He lifted his face, and the little she could see transfixed her. His face burned with anger, with all the resentment he no longer held back, and even through this his voice rang out. "Nightshroud! I'll show you that you cannot contain me so easily! I have knowledge of dark dueling also, a power superior to yours!" Ripping his next card from the deck, he set the monster in contempt. "Go on and use all the darkness you have. Go on and try to stop my cards, but you'll never stop me!"

"Yugi, don't... How can you..." To see Yugi like this, furious and uncaring, it was unbearable, but with all her heart, she wanted to see him be strong, to not lose to Nightshroud. There had to be a way to help him. "Mou hitori no Yugi..." but the words died in her mouth. The other Yugi's face, numb with horror, made her realize something had already gone terribly wrong.

"Aibou - please, no..."

"What's wrong?"

"It's the Puzzle."

What did that have to do with anything? Yugi's heart was the important thing. Unless... "The shadow realm is controlling Yugi!"

"No, it's worse than that."

"What? How?"

"The Puzzle shouldn't be working at all! Within the Orichalcos, Millennium Items have no magic, and the triple boundary should block it completely. So if Yugi is using the Puzzle to draw upon the shadow realm's power-"

The last piece fell into place. "It's because Nightshroud is letting him!"

"Nightshroud's true game isn't to seal aibou's cards - it's to seal him! Nightshroud draws upon the darkness within his enemy's heart, and now aibou is feeding his own darkness by making it his strength. If he attacks even once while focused on it, that's all the opening Nightshroud will need to smother his mind, and then his soul!"

"Yugi!"

Unstoppable, he yelled, "Turn end. Bring on your power, Nightshroud!"

"Draw. Nightmare Wheel, activate." The axle ground and grated, making Valkyrion feel every inch of its motion. His deep mechanical throat could not speak the pain it felt, but Yugi's could speak for both of them as the machine's power ripped at him as well as his monster.

But Yugi refused to satisfy his enemy with even a sound, choking down all the fire in his lungs and joints. With the cycle complete and life fallen to 1700, his tension receded, but the energy surging across his skin did not disappear. It deepened, extending the veil, making him a burning torch. "I feel it... but even every moment... I will withstand."

"I move Sorcerer of Dark Magic and Horus LV 8 to my front row."

The colossal enemies filled Yugi's field of vision. _I swear I'll destroy you for what you've done. But there's only one reason why Nightshroud would expose you._

"Activate spell, Pot of Greed." Drawing his two cards, he continued, "Activate continuous spell, Soul Absorption. Whenever a card is removed from play, my life increases by 500 per removed card. Then activate spell, Allure of Darkness. I draw two cards and then remove a dark-attribute monster in my hand from play. If I have no card to remove, I discard my entire hand."

"The master of control, taking a gamble? That's out of place, isn't it?"

"Not at all. Risking my hand costs nothing to me." The two cards pulsed from the darkness into his hand. "But you stand to lose a great deal. From my hand, I remove Necroface from play." The card broke into dark shreds which, sucked into the permanent spell, turned to a cloud that surrounded their master, raising his life to 13500. "This activates my monster's ability."

"What ability?"

"When Necroface is removed from play, each player removes from play the top five cards of his deck."

"What? You-" Yugi turned his frustration to his deck. _I must not lose any dragons! They're my greatest weapons, and I'll find a way for him to feel their power yet._ Picking up and examining the top five cards, he read, _Skilled Dark Magician, Summoned Skull, Mirror Force, Living Arrow, Watapon... good._ The five cards burned to shadow, their magical ashes joining those of the cards that had burned from nowhere around Nightshroud.

"For each of these ten cards, my life points increase further, and I also gain Deuteros' power for the turn," declared Nightshroud, as the first spell raised him to 18500, and the second spell to 21000. "Every turn deepens your failure, Yugi. You cannot oppose me. Sorcerer of Dark Magic, destroy his monster!" Lightning-swift as ever, the warlock launched his attack, rocketing across the field and crushing the hidden monster.

The searing wreckage swirling around him, Yugi scowled. "All the same, every one of you."

"Hmm?"

"You think I've never heard that before? Tons of guys think everyone else will run away just because they're big and scary. You're so proud of yourself, you can't even see clearly anymore. You never stop to think what might happen when the little guy fights back!" The last sentence came out so quickly and sharply that everyone knew it was no coincidence when the black magic surged from the shattered card. From the darkness rose a fiery-robed magician, hunch-backed and sunken.

"No! It can't be!"

"It is. Reveal, Old Vindictive Magician, with the power to destroy one monster as soon as he's flipped over!" Savoring the shocked shivering on his opponent's face, Yugi murmured, "You never expected that an enemy so small could have such destructive power, could you? Well, here's my proof. This is the card that will tear your negation combo apart! And once I'm free from that, I'll draw the power to go on and destroy the rest of you!"

His silent friends, eyes rooted to the field, tried to warn him as the shadows billowed ever swifter around his form.

The twin monsters, sorcerer and dragon alike, bore the same panicked expression as their master. "This cannot... How..." For an instant, Nightshroud saw a flicker of the piercing blue light in Yugi's eyes; smile hidden, he redoubled his portrayal of fear.

"Go, Old Vindictive Magician! Use your power to kill the-"

There was a great rush of magic, and Anzu knew the terrible blow had already fallen. In fact, it was only the spell being gathered into the magician's staff, but it burned so harshly that she had not heard the name of the target. Frozen, unbreathing, she waited for the inevitable blast. Waiting, waiting for it...

The magician did not move. It stood as still as she might have noticed she stood, if she had noticed herself at all. All was still, even Yugi with his finger outstretched to select the target.

Gradually, her ears resumed working, picking out a ragged, disjointed breathing. Of course, she knew it was her own, but then realized it wasn't, that it was further away. Then, when she saw the suspended arm tremble, quake and shrink away from the gathered magic, she knew whose it was. She found her voice again at the moment he found his.

"No... no..." Yugi stood as one in a trance. Legs locked, arms trembling, he pleaded to the air. "I didn't... All I wanted was to protect them... it's my fault..." Gaze falling from the field, he whispered. "But not like this... not like this!" He fell to his knees, dark fire whipping around him, gasping sobs in and out.

"Aibou! Don't fall!"

"Mou hitori no Yugi!" Regardless of his frightened attention, she insisted, "Yugi can still be called back. He has to be!"

"But how can-"

"We need to reach out for him. There must be some way... With both of us together, we need to support him!" Seeing Yugi's weighted form shaking, pushing back to his feet, she called, "Please..." Both of them caught the last flagging bits of courage they had left and hoped against hope that something would help their friend. _Yugi... please come back..._

His breaths died away, and it seemed as though he had fainted on his feet, eyes open and unseeing. His lungs slowed and deepened their pace, his eyes let go of everything and, little by little, the shaking of his arms died away. When all his body had lost its tension, he breathed, "For them... I will."

His eyes closed and he slumped forward. Delayed, the empty lungs of his friends tried to cry out, but Yugi remained standing, though bowed and silent. As they watched, the shadows around Yugi licked at his skin, at the very edge of consuming him. They burned, but their ferocity grew no greater. Then, gradually they slowed, then became still, and bit by bit, the dark fires floated off of him, dispersing into wispy streams. Before anyone thought to say something, all of the shadows around his body melted away into nothingness.

Though he did not move, this time, she knew what would happen, and presently, he stirred, straightened up, and raised his head. His face again was set, aimed straight at Nightshroud, but their was no shadow or mark anywhere on him, and neither rage nor anger nor piercing flame showed the slightest hint of appearing in his eyes.

The other could only manage, "How?"

Yugi merely replied, "I remembered." Signaling his calmed monster, he called, "Old Vindictive Magician, destroy Vanity's Fiend." Staff sprung to the ready, the mage gathered its energy and shot it at the demon's heart, piercing it in a clean instant. Its work done, his monster departed without another sound.

Anzu smiled and breathed normally, blinking her eyes and whispering, "Yugi... Thank heaven... you're all right again." But dimly, something seemed missing. Then it occurred to her. "But- but, mou hitori no Yugi, why did he destroy Vanity's Fiend? Doesn't that leave the darkness seal together?"

"No, Anzu..." and she suddenly saw that his eyes shone with tears of pride. "He made the right choice. That's what he needed to push the darkness out of his heart." His tone made her turn to watch again.

"Yugi, is the darkness of your heart thrown off so easily as that?"

"You don't understand my heart."

It was so simple, so honest that it choked the words in Nightshroud's throat.

"Or really, you understand only part of it. The part you can't understand is the part you're afraid that I'll notice."

"There is no part of your heart I need to fear!" Seeing Yugi smile and shake his head, Nightshroud insisted, "I see every force that drives your actions, your thoughts, your emotions. I know you, Yugi. Like all others, you cannot do anything other than what your surroundings, your history, and your mindset will allow. By seeing and controlling these, I see and control you."

"The same argument. But it was never true, because you haven't described my heart completely."

"What? What else could there be?"

Yugi's stance relaxed, and his bright eyes pondered the thought. "The thing that came back... even I can't describe it completely. And really, that's what makes it beyond your control."

Bewilderment and fear flared in Nightshroud's immobile face.

"The human soul... there's a force in it that's not limited to what it already knows. It can change your mind, even when you've been frozen in a habit or loop for years. But if you believe your world and your past are all there is, you'll never find it. You have to believe in it, even if you don't know how it works. It's kind of a voice, and you choose to listen to it, to what it's trying to say to you. Then you learn that you're able to change, that there is a way after all."

"This is nonsense! A final attempt to reassure yourself!"

"That's your choice if you want to believe that. But I believe in the truth of this voice, the one that called me back... I'll follow this path, and even though I don't know how," and his eyes staggered the burning ones opposite, "I know that it can make anything possible."

Stilling his shaking, Nightshroud answered, "Monsters, return to the back row. Turn end."

This time, Anzu and the other Yugi did not call out, but pushed to believe in this way that guided their friend. Yugi reached to his deck, poured out all his hopes and fears, and drew. He held the card away to the side for a moment before turning it to his eyes. No one dared to react before he did.

"For the light and the life! Go, Legend of Heart!" The thunderstruck shock of them all had only begun as he called, "The undefinable card your seal cannot contain - I offer my monster and 1000 life points. Restore the fallen guardians!" With Valkyrion dispelled and the life given, his card released a great flame that swept the field, revealing the six cards all in place. Each glowed and melted away, releasing the dragons, who flew to the skies, pushing the dome's limits into a great column, lost in the heights. The heavens surged and shook as lightning gathered in the air.

Everyone stared fervently at the sky, only one voice willing this to not be true. But all their previous awe was exceeded when the voices answered, "Who has released us from our sleep?" "Who is it that calls upon our aid?" All at once, the bolts lanced down from the sky, blinding the field until six shapes appeared from the radiance.

As one, the caped knights stood - purple and red, orange and blue, silver and green. Their armor gleamed, but not as brightly as the swords they drew with blazing eyes, as well as expressions uncannily resembling their human companions. On high, they declared their return. "Penelope!" "Hermos!" "Socrates!" "Critias!" "Aesop!" "Timaeus!" And, in precise formation, their blades slashed to the ground around them.

The energy slit the earth in all directions, crushing into the edges of the green triple hemisphere, which shook, split and shattered into countless fragments. Even as Nightshroud wailed his bewilderment, every piece crumpled to oblivion, leaving only the shadowy ring and flowing circuits. The rage dissolved out of the opposite monsters, slipping back to 3000 and 3200 strength. The knights called, "Our strength and heart of light is one."

"Friend to friend," declared Penelope and Hermos.

"Neighbor to neighbor," promised Socrates and Critias.

"Brother to brother," answered Aesop and Timaeus. Swiftly and familiarly, these last two clasped right hands, and a new light sprang up around them, spiraling together and clearing to reveal the form within. Timaeus remained, but his green armor now glowed with a life of its own, and the adjacent spirit of Aesop could be sensed as they spoke in a combined voice, "Together we stand, to finish what we have all begun."

"What... what is this magic?"

"Legendary Knight Aesop can be summoned outside of a monster card zone, then treated as a spell in the presence of his brother. By this sharing, all six knights remain united." All stood at the ready for their duty. "This is it, Nightshroud: the breaking of the darkness combo! Go, Legendary Knight Hermos - prepare to attack!" The chosen knight raised his sword, which began to shine from hilt to tip.

"That light..."

"When Hermos battles, he can gain the ability of one monster in my grave. I choose Buster Blader!" The swordsman's spirit appeared, merging into his champion. Like the other knights, Hermos began with 2800 attack, and with this, his strength rose by three levels of 500 to become 4300. "Hermos, attack Sorcerer of Dark Magic!" Hermos struck out at his target, wielding his mighty sword even as he ran. With a yell, he cut straight through the raised staff and its bearer.

Nightshroud gaped as his monster groaned and collapsed, life falling to 19900.

Already, Yugi called, "Legendary Knight Critias, attack Horus LV 8!"

"What? Horus is stronger than him!" As the blue knight sprang forward, the colossal dragon blasted it with a fiery counterattack.

However, the knight had also raised his sword to block the attack, and that blade began to glow as that of Hermos had done. "Critias' ability - when he battles, I can activate a trap from my grave. I choose Shift, causing Critias to change places with Hermos!" In a wave of light, the red knight appeared as the one deflecting the attack. All at once, he brushed the flame aside and leapt at his opponent. The blazing sword easily sliced through the dragon, shattering his target with a final shriek.

Nightshroud's life fell to 18600, and his voice tried to work but failed.

"Legendary Knights Socrates and Timaeus - attack the Metabo Tokens!" With the minute fiends destroyed, he called, "Legendary Knight Penelope, attack Nightshroud directly, and activate your ability!"

"Another ability!"

"When Penelope battles, she activates a spell from my grave. Go, Graceful Charity!" From Penelope's shoulders grew sublime wings, nearly as bright as her sword, and their radiance peaked at the moment the blade struck home.

This time, Nightshroud's yell rang out clearly, staggering to 15800. The blinding light dispersed, and he gasped, "How... how has it all fallen apart?" Then he remembered to look up, but Yugi was already sending his two cards to the grave. "No! Which cards did you discard?"

"My battle phase isn't finished, Nightshroud."

"What? All your knights have attacked!"

"They still have the power to create new strength. Timaeus, Critias, Hermos - unite your power!" Timaeus glowed from within, and his two comrades fused to his heart, enveloping them in flowing energy until the new form appeared. This knight had Timaeus' sharp eyes, protected by heavier golden armor, cape flying regally. All this was just as it was the first time this knight had been summoned. But now, the gold armor was alive with light, burning Nightshroud in its ferocity. "Joined as one - Knight of Destiny! This monster has the combined power of his partners, for a total of 9900 attack. Go, attack him directly!" The sword afire, the mighty warrior soared at Nightshroud, crushing the blow straight through him.

Anzu and the other Yugi cheered their friend on - in one turn, it was now 5900 to 700, far better than before, especially with his three radiant knights. He stood strong, declaring, "End turn."

Even as he waited, Nightshroud did not move. "Go on - it's your turn." There was nothing, but Yugi was the only one of the others who did not delight in seeing him frozen. "Nightshroud?"

"No... no, I will not fall as they did."

"As who did?"

"You destroyed all my monsters, but you haven't beaten me."

"Stop, Nightshroud. Don't be like I was."

"Like you?" he laughed. "You, who consider yourself better than the darkness, in all your self-righteousness?"

"That's not what brought me back."

"Then what did? Some other magic of yours?"

"No - my memory, and the voice in my heart, just as I said."

"How?"

"I remembered my cards, the dragons and-" he paused, adding, "my friends. I hated your combo, and I wanted to be the one to tear it down." He shook a bit recalling his feelings, but continued. "Then I remembered they could help me, that they wanted to help me. So all I had to do was open myself up."

"Even then, you sought to destroy me, and you still do."

"It's different, Nightshroud. I won't kill out of anger, but I will protect my friends, and they'll protect me. If you want to oppose one of us, you'll have to face us all."

"You... you don't believe they will fall away? You believe this relationship will not disappear?"

"I already told you what I think of your 'zero' argument." Then he realized, "But even if we separate in the future, that still doesn't mean we shouldn't be together now."

"Why not, if it will all be gone in the end?"

"It's true, I won't be here forever. Everything I have will pass away from me. But there are some things I can do that will live, though I will not see their whole story."

"This..." The memory floated unbidden to his mind. "What is seen... but cannot be seen?"

"Yes, but for these things to happen, they must be things that go beyond me. Friendship, kindness and love... I can share them with those around me; we can overcome our pain together. And then, they can do the same for others, who will reach others. It could continue even to places and times I can't imagine. I'll be gone, but the light will live on."

"Darkness can also spread from person to person."

"But that connection wouldn't be as strong as these."

"Yugi, your vision may or may not come to pass. Even so, I know that mine is still accurate. You would not believe me, but instead would prolong this process in hopes of what might work."

"But you have to consider-"

"Humanity is destined for ruin. Even beyond the level of individuals, your race will not last forever. You were not convinced when I showed you the darkness at its roots, so I will show you the darkness at its end."

"Nightshroud... fine, then. Go on."

"My turn." Refreshed, Nightshroud called, "Let all that was present fall away. Activate spell, Beginning of the End. When I have at least seven dark-attribute monsters in my grave, this card removes five of those dark-attribute monsters from play to let me draw three cards." Fragments of dark cards broke apart before Yugi could acknowledge them, and they vanished into the spell Yugi had forgotten about, enveloping Nightshroud in their dark aura. "Soul Absorption returns their energy to their source, raising my life to 8400." His hand burning with new darkness, one of his four cards caught his eye. "And now is the time for all your monsters to end. Activate spell, Raigeki!" The dark clouds overhead quaked with power, more fearsome than before.

The other Yugi, taken aback, realized his partner had no face-downs in play. But Anzu stood more calmly, knowing that Yugi had done everything he could last turn. If anyone had the ability to ward off the darkness, he could.

"Knight of Destiny, defend now!" He ignited his sword, swinging it like a staff towards the sky at the same time that the crimson lightning blasted down to smite them all. A barrier crystallized around them, catching the curse and deflecting it at random.

But Nightshroud had seen the ghost of a monster before and within the golden knight, helping to hold the weapon steady. "Aesop!"

"Right - he might not be fighting as a monster, but he still helps his friends. The ability of his spirit allows all my monsters to remain unaffected by any of your card effects." Havoc rained all around, but presently, the spell exhausted itself, the knights standing unscathed.

His enemy's voice burned, "No... but even escaping that, he is not a perfect seal. Activate spell, Burial from a Different Dimension. This allows me to place up to three cards that are removed from play into their owners' graves. I choose your Watapon, Summoned Skull and Skilled Dark Magician." As Yugi accepted his restored cards, Nightshroud continued, "By clinging to fallen memories, Yugi, you cannot move on. But I have taken my monsters away from their destruction. In the darkness, we are free."

"You mean they're gone!"

"No, they would have remained unreachable if they had not accepted a fully reduced state. But by erasing them, I can reform their darkness. Activate spell, Dimension Fusion! By paying 2000 life points, all monsters removed from play are summoned!" The flowing shadow quickened, both into and out of Nightshroud. With a starved roar, the fabric of the air shuddered and tore open, bleeding shadow and light everywhere. Yugi and his friends all gasped as they saw the field.

Where once there were no monsters, now there were five: a midnight-robed lady, a towering red dragon, a sour-skinned vampire, a dragon-shaped carving, and a diabolic mummy. "I summon Shadowpriestess of Ohm, White-Horned Dragon, and Patrician of Darkness in attack mode, as well as Obsidian Dragon and Grave Squirmer in defense."

"I summon Electromagnetic Turtle in defense." Alone in the summon, the mechanical turtle locked down in preparation, bearing 1900 defense. The opposing monsters stood with 1700, 2200, and 2000 attack, then with 2100 and zero defense.

"Soon the end will descend upon you, Yugi. But first, the ability of my dragon activates." From the chalk-white horn shot a stream of darkness that skewered Yugi's grave. "When normal or special summoned, this monster removes up to five spells from the opponent's grave."

Yugi gasped in shock as the ghosts of Graceful Charity, De-Fusion, Swords of Revealing Light, Card of Sanctity and Monster Reborn shuddered and burst. The fragments vanished into the thickening shroud, raising Nightshroud's life to 8900. Then, he caught sight of the dragon, also coated in the shade, but Nightshroud ignored this.

"With this done, we may finish. The freedom of darkness has shown what strength I am capable of producing: despite your monsters, I have the card to defeat you."

"How?"

"I activate Shadowpriestess of Ohm's special ability, sacrificing a dark monster to deal 800 points of damage to you!"

"What?"

"Here is your connection, Yugi. You and your enemy will die together. I sacrifice my priestess for the killing stroke!" The spellcaster became engulfed in a dark wave of energy, conjuring a whip from her life force. She shredded herself into the curse, the stream swinging out towards the helpless target, trapping Yugi in its coils.

There was no counterblow. The burst of strangling darkness and the anguished groans from Yugi tore Anzu's heart in two, the other Yugi's voice only barely exceeding hers in disbelief. The witch's curse clawed the final sound from his throat, his life points dropping to zero. They heard nothing else as Nightshroud concluded, "Disappear, Yugi." At last free to descend, the dark feeding border organized its billowing pattern and shrunk to the far side of the field, closing upon the drooping figure.

The column of rainbow light springing from the ring's center broke the hungry shadows all at once, dispersing them in a rush to the edges and specter from which they came. Nightshroud's disbelieving shout stopped short when he saw the second source of light - the sword of the sunrise-armored knight. "What did you do?"

"Socrates' special ability gives me the power to activate spell and trap cards at any time, from my field or hand."

"Your hand... but you could not stop yourself from dying!"

"True... but that doesn't mean you've beaten me." And when the light cleared enough that Nightshroud could see the card, Yugi answered his shock in a clear voice. "Trap card, Relay Soul! When my life points fall to zero, this card summons a monster from my hand. As long as that monster stands, I will not lose. Monster summon-"

"No..."

"-Dark Magician Girl!" From the last of the light, she appeared, standing tall alongside the champions of her realm. "As my knights, she honors the souls of the fallen monsters, continuing their strength!" The spirit of her mentor appeared at her side, entrusting his magic to her and raising her strength to 2300.

"Your soul is upheld at the expense of your life, but only temporarily. I already have the power I need." The furious shadow quickened around him, and his dragon roared to match. "My dragon's other ability grants 300 attack for every spell he excludes."

"Then... 3700 total!"

"White-Horned Dragon, destroy Dark Magician Girl!" From the dragon's roar burst a dark torrent of power, searing straight at her heart.

"Go, Aesop! Mind shuffle!" From below Knight of Destiny's feet sprang a ring of light shading his face until it cleared to reveal a new gaze. But no sooner did Nightshroud recognize Aesop's eyes than the luminous knight sprang to his leader's side. Their weapons crossed, a wall of darkness woven into light sprang up before them, stopping the attack cold.

Nightshroud bellowed, "Impossible! How is this?"

"Aesop shares his duty with Timaeus, including the ability to fight and defend. His ability lets his spirit exchange roles with his brother's at any time except for my battle phase." Alongside the golden knight, the ghost of the green knight appeared, helping to parry the blow.

Nightshroud realized, "As Aesop's spirit protects them from the effects of my cards, Timaeus' spirit protects them from the damage of my attacks!"

"Right, except Timaeus isn't the only one protecting Dark Magician Girl."

"What?" But the visions of Critias and Hermos were already visible alongside Timaeus. "The power from the souls of three knights combined..."

"...is to not only stop your attack, but destroy your monster!" Holding as one, Dark Magician Girl and all her companions struck back, their weapons repelling the beam along its track. It struck home, crushing through the center of the shrouded dragon, bursting it in a final shriek.

Screaming in frustration, Nightshroud spat, "Set one monster. Turn end."

"Draw. Activate, Pot of Greed! Knight of Destiny, mind shuffle!" When the golden cloud subsided, the knight was again the fierce-eyed juggernaut. "Go, attack the Patrician of Darkness!"

"Patrician of Darkness' special ability allows me to determine the targets of all attacks you conduct." The vampire's cloak swept around him, dimming the field only for a moment before the new target was revealed. The impact shredded the crouching Grave Squirmer with hardly a sound. "My life points remain, but you must pay the price." As the knight sprang back to his place, Nightshroud's hand glowed with a vengeful aura, relishing every bit of surprise on Yugi's face. "Grave Squirmer's ability activates when he is sent to the grave by battle, allowing me to destroy one card on your field."

"I won't let you do that!"

"Aesop has no say in this. His ability only protects his fellow monsters. It does not protect other cards, and because he is a spell, he will be destroyed!" The claw's grasp shot across the field to rip the soul from the golden knight's heart.

"Socrates, defend! From my hand, I activate Double Spell! By discarding one spell card, I can activate a spell from your grave as my own. I choose Magic Reflector!"

"No!" But the beam had already shot from Nightshroud into Socrates' lit sword. The barrier rose just in time to block the death grip, shuddering and scattering its magic, despite all Nightshroud's efforts to break through. Only after the dark blast wore out did the magical sphere dissipate.

The defender recovered his parry as Yugi called, "Socrates, attack Patrician of Darkness!"

"I will not let you defeat me!" The cape enveloped the far field to reveal the hidden monster, burst into pieces at the blade's strike. But the fragments did not disperse, instead burning and regathering into a smaller cloak. This one contained a skeletal form, wielding a scythe and an undead grin. "Spirit Reaper's special ability prevents it from being destroyed in battle."

"Interesting... Penelope, attack Patrician of Darkness."

"You'll suffer the same defeat!"

"I already know Obsidian Dragon protects your dark monsters from being targeted by spells and traps. This would make Spirit Reaper nearly unbeatable. But there's a way through this also."

"Your best spells are gone!"

"You forget - I've already been given a new one. Penelope, use your ability to activate Fissure!" Her bright sword split the ground open, releasing quakes that raced to the far field of their own accord. "You can't negate this because I don't choose the target of this spell. Instead, it destroys whichever monster has the lowest attack on your field. And that monster is..." The earth below Spirit Reaper crashed open, swallowing the creature within its depths and closing tightly.

The shadowy cape did not stop Penelope from charging in, and her sword found its mark, shattering Obsidian Dragon.

"There's nothing else to hide behind. Dark Magician Girl, attack!" With all her dedication, her magic obliterated Patrician of Darkness in an instant, bringing Nightshroud's life down to 8600.

The guttural roar nearly deafened Yugi, as he watched the phantom's fists open and close compulsively. "Why... why won't you stop?"

"My turn isn't finished. There's still one card left in my hand. Socrates, activate trap!"

Nightshroud froze when he saw the card's image - chains flying from emblazoned parchment - but his fear turned to frantic struggling as the chains became real, flying from the shining sword to ensnare him head to foot. "No... no!"

"Time Seal's effect causes you to skip your next draw phase. I end my turn."

Not until the chains gave their final reprimanding pulse of energy did they release him from their grip. But it was enough, as he shook uncontrollably to see his empty hands. "I have nothing left. There is nothing I can do..." His slump spoke more clearly than if he had managed to fall to his knees. "I am finished."

Without a word, Yugi drew. Looking from one monster to another, he looked back at Nightshroud and made his choice. "Knight of Destiny, attack!" The knight rushed in, golden sword burning brighter than his eyes or his armor, slicing completely thorough the specter. Only one final wail could be heard as his life dropped precipitously, all the way to zero.

* * *

><p><em>AN - I'll most likely wrap up the story tomorrow. All commentary, disclaimers, and cop-outs are thus forthcoming._


	9. What Cannot Be Seen is Seen

The tension faded from the air as the knights divided into the six and then as all the cards dissolved into the light. Yugi stood alone, save for the silent cloaked form opposite him, shadow merely trickling from his frame. Something appeared at the center of the ground, drawing Yugi's eye in its simplicity. It was the stone, now black as space, no energy radiating from it. It lay as still as its previous holder, but not as feebly. All at once, the dark currents barely visible on the ground flared up, moving in an undertow towards the stone, which segued into the streams so smoothly Yugi could not have told in which instant it had vanished.

But he had other things to worry about, because the circle of shadow at the border had heightened as well, spinning as a whirlpool, its trails vanishing to the center. Then the border began to tighten, and at the same moment, the leaks from the opposite cloak burst into a silent flood, enraging all the streams. Unconsciously, Yugi retreated a step, but the circle then constricted in haste, closing only inches around the spot where Nightshroud stood.

Gasping, Yugi ran to him, stopping several feet short of the border. "Nightshroud..."

"Spare me your pity," spat the figure. "There is nothing to be done for me."

"That's not true." Though unable to draw his gaze, Yugi pressed on. "If you give up your darkness, you can still be saved."

"You say this, knowing of my beginnings and my actions?"

"Yes, it's still possible."

"Yugi... your compassion is astounding. Your deepest weakness," and in a lower voice he added, "and your greatest strength."

Before Yugi could register this, the dark streams rose ever fiercer, blurring the edges of the figure before him. "Even so, I do not envy you. You have chosen to return to the persistent struggles and cycles we both recognize. But in the world from which I come, there is no height and no falling, no strength or weakness. I emerged from darkness, and I will return to it. Even now, the pressures of your world ease away from me."

He was nearly gone, but if there was anything to be said, Yugi had to say it. "You don't have to choose this."

"On some level, many do; I embrace it as its true form. Perhaps someday, you all will see that it is only natural to return to this level."

"But as long as we pass the light and the life to each other, we won't have to."

The streams pulled at Nightshroud until every fiber of his being melted back into shapeless darkness. All the shadow swirled and spiraled into the closing ring, until even this swallowed itself. Before Yugi could see it was gone, the column burned itself out, leaving no source or trace of its existence.

Silence reigned, and it was the silence not of obscurity but of release. Then Yugi felt the light behind him. He spun around, only for a moment seeing the shining smiles of his two dearest companions before they dissolved and streamed away, one to her body and the other to the Puzzle, which now welcomed it home. But even as Yugi felt the comfortable presence alongside his own self, from all around him came the sound of his friends shaking the cobwebs from their minds and pushing themselves to their feet.

"Everyone!" As they gathered together, he was so happy to see everyone alive and well that at first he didn't notice the confused looks on their faces.

"Yugi, what happened to us?" "Where's Nightshroud?"

Before he could figure out how to say it, Anzu answered for him. "He's gone. Yugi beat him."

Even Mai, only barely familiar with how widely the two Yugis differed, was amazed to hear this. Only Mokuba was able to manage, "You?"

Any further confusion was swept aside as the sky opened and the light shone down in all colors of the rainbow. Before and around them stood the six knights and their leader. Dark Magician Girl spoke for them all, "Thank you, all of you. Because of your devotion, Nightshroud's power is broken. He has fallen back to the level from which he came; he and the Orichalcos have been erased from both of our worlds."

Marik asked, "And what of our friends?"

For answer, Hermos and Critias released the orbs of light from their hearts, letting them fly off to the horizon. "They are already returning, and it is time for us to bring you back to them." The six knights focused their energy together, their leader raising her staff. Enveloped in the spectrum, they all lifted up into the stream and away from the island.

\\\

The miles streaked by with no effort at all. Presently, they landed gently on the shore they had left, so long ago to Yugi's mind. _At last, it's over, but... most of them don't even know what happened in there. What if... what if he was right in saying we still aren't beyond the reach of the darkness?_

He stirred himself back; Dark Magician Girl was speaking to them. "You have supported each other well. We will do so in our world, especially now that we all are united again."

Mai, Marik and Yugi nodded back, answering the promise. "We'll be ready if you need us again."

"Thank you." The seven guardians together agreed it was time to go, and as one, they soared up into the distance, the window in the sky opening to accept them. Even when they were no longer to be seen, the friends below held their vigil until the whisper from Yugi's deck caught their attention. With only a moment to pick them up and see their faces, the six dragon cards melted into light and dissolved from Yugi's hand.

The spell broken, Mokuba remembered, "Hey, we shouldn't be standing around! Brother and Jonouchi should be back already!" His words sent them off like a shot. After just enough time to pile back into the car, they too were lost in the distance.

Swinging into the parking lot, Mai didn't bother finding a space near the building. It was quicker for them to run, and they easily intercepted the group already exiting the doors. Jonouchi, after breaking out of Honda's welcoming headlock, returned the enthusiastic welcome from everyone, and Kaiba allowed himself to be caught by his brother's tight embrace. Even Rishid gave a rare smile, and Anzu felt happier than she'd been in a long time.

Their words all ran over each other. "Seto, I'm glad you're safe again..." "You were... incredible, Mai." "Sister, I already told you I'm all right."

Upon Ishizu's concerned gaze, Yugi took the moment to switch places with his other self. "Kaiba, Jonouchi-"

"Aha, mou hitori no Yugi!" exclaimed Jonouchi, clapping his friend on the shoulder. "I knew you'd find a way to bring us all back."

"It wasn't me. Aibou was the one who beat Nightshroud."

The blank look on Jonouchi's face was nothing to the shock on Kaiba's, which only recovered somewhat when the others laughed to see him like that.

As they made their way back into the parking lot, Honda by now ribbing his friend for having been brought back so stirringly by his Red-Eyes, Marik called out, "Will we be seeing you all at the museum tomorrow? It's a bit late to open the memory tablet now, but I'd be glad to see you all there when we take it back to Egypt."

"That'd be great!" Anzu said.

"The transport isn't due until the evening, so you won't miss school." Anzu had forgotten about that, but she didn't care.

"Thank you," said the other Yugi. "I'm sure we'll all be glad to be there." He switched places, leaving Yugi to simply nod his agreement.

Bit by bit, the group broke apart. Kaiba strode off to his car, leaving Mokuba to break off his discussion with Marik about the latest cards released in their parts of the world. However, as he ran to catch up, Mokuba saw his brother was not in an impatient mood but a pensive one. "What's on your mind, Seto?"

"When I was protected by Critias, I could tell he was moving, but I couldn't sense many details of the place we reached."

"What, that island? There wasn't anything to it, it wasn't inhabited at all. I wouldn't have even known it was there."

"Mokuba... I think this may be the place I've been looking for."

With a thrill, Mokuba realized, "You mean... for building the acad-" His voice quelled by a single look from his brother, Mokuba hoped no one had been listening as he climbed into the car after him.

They drove off, and everyone left for their various homes. Only Yugi and Anzu were left. It had gotten quite dark, the moon barely visible behind the clouds. Distantly, he could sense the other Yugi was keeping back, but with a friendly encouragement to it. "Do you mind if I walk you home, Anzu?"

Making their way down the regularly-lit streets, there wasn't much to say. Both felt quite relieved to have the recent weeks behind them. Construction on the road diverted them down a side street, and as they made their way along the next block, they paused. A strange noise greeted them, singing like a falcon, then dropping to a growling rumble. Nervous, but not afraid, they peeked around the corner.

Mai and Jonouchi must have slipped away some minutes earlier. Neither one looked in the least bit tired, each one's attention fully engaged by the other. Their duel had already developed splendidly, Harpie's Pet Dragon and Cyber Harpie on the one side, Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Flame Swordsman on the other.

"This is it, Jonouchi. Just as we promised."

"Nothing to hide from. Nothing to fight against. Bring it!"

As Mai drew her card, Yugi's eyes turned to Anzu, both embarrassed and enthralled to be seeing this. To share this together, fully and eagerly... He felt very awake now, all his worries of loneliness gone for the moment, pushed out by simple realization. His bonds were not all the same as those of his friends, but they were no less important. More than that, the very act of living those bonds lay at the root of experiencing life at all. Looking on, without a word he took Anzu's hand in his.


	10. Stumbling Onto the Path

Deep in the chasm between dreams, Yugi tossed and turned, calmness and clarity gone. Even in his sleep, he could hear the tireless voice, but it was muted and discontinuous. Something was about to happen that he could not prevent. If only... if only...

The soft glow rose at the edge of his closed eyes, but it was not his other self. "Yugi..." Her eyes somewhere between compassion and pity, Dark Magician Girl whispered, "I know you are deeply shaken. Do not suffer any more for his sake, but believe that, in time, these wounds will heal."

"Is he gone? Will he come back?"

"He has not died, because he does not live. However, he grows less and less distinct from the world he occupies, and he no longer holds the power to leave that place." Though her words soothed Yugi somewhat, she and the monster spirits with her could see he was still troubled. "Please understand: you cannot bear the world's weight alone. But believe in the power that is able to carry and guide the world, and the light will shine yet, through you and others." Resting a hand on his brow, she guided him back to his rest. Reverently, she and her escorts bowed away.

However, one remained. Through his drifting consciousness, Yugi could hear Kuriboh speaking to him. "Yugi, you're not alone in this - someone else has fought against the darkness. His soul is also hurt and needs help. Tomorrow, you'll meet him." Surprise and excitement mingled in Yugi's smoothed sleep as Kuriboh departed. "Greet him with a duel from your heart, and both of you will find your way again."

The sun's light streaming through the window forced his eyes open - he was almost late for school! He dashed around his room, gathering up everything he needed, leaping down the stairs two at a time. Grandpa must have just stepped away; the newspaper remained on the table, along with some leftover breakfast. Yugi snatched the plate from beneath the magazine insert naming Battle City as the greatest tournament in recent months. Between mouthfuls, he wondered how much time he had, but something told him he need not hurry. He could almost recall having a good dream last night...

Gulping the last bite, he ran out the door, calling goodbye over his shoulder. Almost immediately, he smacked straight into the red jacket in front of him. "I'm sorry!"

"Same here," replied the other guy, turning around to face him. The two of them were about the same age. His eyes were a brighter brown than his hair, and they opened wide when he realized, "You're... Yugi!"

"You know me?"

He nodded, saying, "The strongest duelist who awaits me..."

_Huh? Who is this guy?_

Then the other guy remembered, "Could it be... I was given this card from you, and it led me here." Reaching into his deck pocket, he held out a well-kept card to Yugi.

Confused and yet intrigued by this, Yugi looked closely. "I gave you that card?" _I've never seen that before!_ "Winged Kuriboh?"

* * *

><p> _Fin_ /

* * *

><p>Well, you made it. Congratulations, and thank you for reading! Below is a list of the fake cards I composed, and I'll throw in a few explanations and footnotes.<p>

-To the fans of the Horus lock: there's a reason that Yugi managed to escape. It's because I looked at the dragon cards with their total lack of written text (Japanese or otherwise), and I assumed that this meant they could not be identified as monsters or spells or traps. I then made the leap that Legend of Heart (which has the exact same formatting, or rather, lack thereof) is similarly without a category. Looking back at this years-old story, it seems like a weaselly reason. But nevertheless, that was my reason.

-You might find some familiarities in Yugi's speech/tactics against Nightshroud. That's intentional - I drew inspiration from Atem's duel against Dartz. Both of them found some source of strength to keep going, but I changed the direction a bit. Plus, I thought their breakdowns would make a nice inversion. Atem nearly lost because Dartz managed to break his motivation, which is something that almost never happens to him, while Yugi has a history being shy or nervous. On the other hand, Yugi nearly lost because Nightshroud managed to get him furious, which is something that almost never happens to him, while Atem has a history of being heedlessly aggressive.

-Yes, I'm aware that my effects for "Legendary Knight Timaeus" and "Knight of Destiny" differ from those on the Yugioh wikia. For the former, I chose to give the spell-revival technique to a dragon that actually had something to do with spells. And for the latter, I never really understood why the Pharaoh bothered with that Critias/Hermos infinity loop vs Divine Serpent if "Knight of Destiny" already had the power to clobber it. So I made my own explanation - substantially before I checked the wikia's articles, in fact.

-And as an extra joke to all of you, remember the Pharaoh's duel with Grerimo? And how Obelisk killed the last monster on the Pharaoh's field twice? At that moment, he was ripe for a miraculous topdeck, and it would have been appropriate for a dragon to appear except for the fact that the arc had only just begun. Sure, Brave Attack worked fine, but I wondered what would happen if Timaeus fused with Valkyrion. So I set it up... and deliberately refused to answer.

\\\

**Harpie's Sacred Wing - Spell - Equip**_ ("Wing of Penelope" + "Harpie's Feather Duster")_

When this card is activated and when the equipped monster attacks, destroy all Spell/Trap Cards controlled by your opponent. The original ATK/DEF of the equipped monster become 2700.

o-o-o

**Soul-Catching Web - Trap - Equip**_ ("Scale of Socrates" + "Rope of Life")_

Select one monster from your Graveyard. Special Summon it and equip it with this card. When the equipped monster battles another monster, its ATK becomes 800 points higher than the ATK of the monster it is battling. If this card is removed from the field, destroy the equipped monster.

o-o-o

**Realm of Chaos Dragon - Dragon - DARK - 8 - 2300 - 2100**_ ("Heart of Aesop" + "Dark Magic Ritual")_

When you Special Summon this monster, select and add 1 Spell Card from your Graveyard to your hand for each card on your opponent's side of the field.

o-o-o

**Soul Archer Dragon - Dragon - LIGHT - 5 - 1700 - 2100**_ ("Heart of Aesop" + "Living Arrow")_

When your opponent has the choice of whether or not to activate a Spell Card or the opportunity to select its target, you can make the choice instead.

o-o-o

**Piercing Light Sword - Spell - Equip**_ ("Wing of Penelope" + "Swords of Revealing Light")_

When this card is activated, place 3 Spell Counters on it. At any time during your turn, you can pick up any Set card(s) your opponent controls, then return them to their original position. During your opponent's Battle Phase, you can remove 1 Spell Counter from this card to end the Battle Phase.

o-o-o

**Knight of Destiny - Warrior - LIGHT - 12 stars - ? ATK - ? DEF**

This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "Legendary Knight Timaeus". The ATK/DEF of this card are equal to the total ATK/DEF of the monsters sent to the Graveyard to summon this card. This card is not destroyed as a result of battle. When this card is treated as a Spell Card by the effect of "Legendary Knight Aesop," you can destroy any opponent's monster that battles a monster on your side of the field. (Damage calculation is not conducted.)

o-o-o

**Legendary Knight Timaeus - Warrior - LIGHT - 8 stars - 2800 ATK - 1800 DEF**

This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "Legend of Heart." By sending "Legendary Knight Critias," "Legendary Knight Hermos," and "Legendary Knight Timaeus" from your side of the field to the Graveyard during any phase, Special Summon a "Knight of Destiny" from your Fusion Deck. When this card is treated as a Spell Card by the effect of "Legendary Knight Aesop," all battle damage to you and to monsters on your side of the field is reduced to 0.

o-o-o

**Legendary Knight Critias - Warrior - LIGHT - 8 stars - 2800 ATK - 1800 DEF**

This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "Legend of Heart." When this card battles, the owner of this card can activate the effect of a Trap Card in his/her Graveyard.

o-o-o

**Legendary Knight Hermos - Warrior - LIGHT - 8 stars - 2800 ATK - 1800 DEF**

This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "Legend of Heart". When a monster you control is declared as an attack target, you can redirect the attack to this card. When this card battles, you can select 1 Effect Monster in your Graveyard; this card gains the effect(s) of the selected monster. When this card is attacked, you can remove from play any number of Normal monsters from your Deck to redirect the attack to the attacking monster and multiply the ATK by an amount equal to the number of monsters removed this way.

(_Actually, I chose to ignore that last effect. It's either broken, or I didn't hear it correctly - either way, no thanks._)

o-o-o

**Legendary Knight Penelope - Warrior - LIGHT - 8 stars - 2800 ATK - 1800 DEF**

This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "Legend of Heart." When this card battles, the owner of this card can activate the effect of a Spell Card in his/her Graveyard.

o-o-o

**Legendary Knight Socrates - Warrior - LIGHT - 8 stars - 2800 ATK - 1800 DEF**

This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "Legend of Heart." The owner of this card can activate Trap Cards from his/her hand. The owner of this card can activate Spell Cards that are in his/her hand or Set on his/her side of the field as if they had Spell Speed 2, during either player's turn.

o-o-o

**Legendary Knight Aesop - Warrior - LIGHT - 8 stars - 2800 ATK - 1800 DEF**

This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "Legend of Heart." This card can be played as a Continuous Spell, but if it is, it is destroyed if "Legendary Knight Timaeus" or "Knight of Destiny" is not on your side of the field. At any time except for your Battle Phase, you may treat this card as a Monster Card and your "Legendary Knight Timaeus" or "Knight of Destiny" as a Continuous Spell, or vice versa. When this card is treated as a Spell Card by its own effect, all monsters on your side of the field are unaffected by card effects controlled by your opponent.


End file.
